Name_____________________
Class_______________
Date___________
Covalent Bonding
How are Atoms Held Together in a Covalent Bond?
You and a friend walk past a bakery that sells giant chocolate chip cookies for one dollar each. But
each of you has only 50 cents. If you combine your money, you can buy a cookie and split it. So, you
can afford a cookie by sharing your money. Similarly, 2 atoms can form a bond by sharing electrons.
The chemical bond formed when 2 or more atoms share electrons is called a covalent bond.
1. After watching the animation of hydrogen atoms bonding, write a short caption under each
picture to describe the process of covalent bonding.
Two hydrogen atoms are
near each other.
2. What are two conditions atoms must have in order to form covalent bonds with one
another?
3. Why is a hydrogen molecule (𝐻2 ) more stable than two individual hydrogen atoms?
4. Why can’t a third hydrogen atom join the 𝐻2 to make 𝐻3 ?
1
5. Write a short caption besides each picture to describe the process of covalent bonding.
Two hydrogen atoms and one
oxygen atom are near each other.
6. Why can’t a third hydrogen atom join the water molecule (𝐻2 𝑂) to make 𝐻3 𝑂?
2
After watching the activity in which we used electricity to break the covalent bonds in water
molecules, answer the following questions:
7. What were the bubbles made out of in this activity?
8. Why was there more hydrogen gas produced than oxygen gas?
Take it Further
9. Write a short caption under the picture to describe the process of covalent bonding between
two oxygen atoms to make an oxygen molecule. Be sure to mention the attraction between
elections and protons and the number of electrons in the outer energy level for the atoms in
the final molecule.
Each oxygen atom has 6
valence electrons in its
outer energy level.
3
10. Briefly describe the process of covalent bonding between the carbon and four hydrogen
atoms to make a methane molecule. Be sure to mention the attraction between electrons and
the protons and the number of electrons in the outer energy level for the atoms in the final
molecule.
4
11. Briefly describe the process of covalent bonding between the carbon and the two oxygen
atoms to make a carbon dioxide molecule. Be sure to mention the attraction between
electrons and the protons and the number of electrons in the outer energy level for the
atoms in the final molecule.
5