LECTURER: ENG MANJONJO

LESSON 1: COVELENT BONDING

TOPIC: MATTER
TRUST ACADEMY
Objectives
a. describe the formation of a covalent bond by the sharing of a pair of electrons in order to
gain the electronic configuration of an inert gas.
b. describe, using dot-and-cross diagrams, the formation of covalent bonds between non-
metallic elements.
c. relate the physical properties (including electrical properties) of covalent compounds to
their structure and bonding.

THE COVALENT BOND

 As you saw previously in ionic bonding, atoms bond in order to gain a stable outer
shell of electrons, like the noble gas atoms.
 So when sodium and chlorine react together in ionic bonding, each sodium atoms give
up an electron to a chlorine atom.
 But that is not the only way, atoms can also gain a stable outer shells by sharing
electrons with each other.
 Covalent compounds are formed when electrons are shared between atoms.
 Only non-metal elements participate in covalent bonding.
 When two non-metal atoms react together both need to gain electrons to achieve
stable outer shells and they manage this by sharing electrons.
Example 1: formation of water molecule (H2O)
 Oxygen has six electrons in its outermost shell so it needs to gain or share so as to
achieve stability or noble gas configuration.
 Hydrogen atoms have each one electron so 2 hydrogen atoms are needed to share
electrons with oxygen atom so that each have a full shell.
 Therefore, 2hydrogen atoms have to bond covalently with one oxygen atom to form
water molecule as shown below.
NB: Only the outer shells are drawn in these diagrams.
 Fig 1: covalent bonding in H2O

Example 2: hydrogen chloride (HCl)

 The chlorine atom shares one electron with the hydrogen atom. Both now have a
stable arrangement of electrons in their outer shells.

Fig 2: hydrogen chloride molecule.

Example 3: formation of carbon dioxide (CO2)

 Carbon has four electrons in its outer most shell and oxygen has 2.
 So carbon needs 2 oxygen atoms so that they share so as to obtain a noble gas
configuration as shown below.

Fig 3: covalent bonding in CO2

PROPERTIES OF COVALENT BONDS
1. There Are usually gases and liquids.
2. Does not conduct electricity in any state.
3. Have low melting points.
4. Insoluble in water.

EXERCISE 1: DRAW THE FOLLOWING COVALENT BONDS

1. NH3
2. CH4
3. H2