What is involved in covalent bonding?

Covalent bonding involves the sharing of one or more pairs of electrons between two atoms. This type of bonding typically occurs between nonmetal atoms, which have similar electronegativities, meaning they have a comparable tendency to attract electrons. By sharing electrons, the atoms can achieve a full outer electron shell, which leads to greater stability.

In covalent bonds, the shared electrons allow each atom to attain a noble gas configuration, often satisfying the octet rule, where atoms aim to have eight electrons in their outer shell. This shared arrangement creates a balance of attractive and repulsive forces that hold the atoms together, forming a stable molecule.

The concept of covalent bonding contrasts with ionic bonding, where electrons are transferred between atoms, resulting in the formation of charged ions. The idea of losing protons is not relevant in covalent bonds, as the focus is on electron sharing rather than proton transfer. Thus, covalent bonds highlight the importance of electron interaction in chemical stability and molecular structure.