A covalent bond involves

A covalent bond involves

• A. Transfer of electrons from one atom to another
• B. Sharing of electron pairs
• C. Attraction between ions
• D. Formation of a lattice

Answer: (B)

Cov bonds form when two atoms share electron pairs, typically nonmetals with similar electronegativity. By sharing these electrons, each atom can count the shared electrons toward its valence shell, helping both achieve a stable configuration such as an octet. The shared electron pair sits in the region between the two nuclei, effectively binding the atoms together through mutual attraction to both nuclei. This is different from transferring electrons, which creates ions that attract each other electrostatically—an ionic bond. It’s also different from forming a lattice of ions in a solid, which is characteristic of ionic compounds. So the defining feature is the sharing of electron pairs to hold the atoms together.

Cov bonds form when two atoms share electron pairs, typically nonmetals with similar electronegativity. By sharing these electrons, each atom can count the shared electrons toward its valence shell, helping both achieve a stable configuration such as an octet. The shared electron pair sits in the region between the two nuclei, effectively binding the atoms together through mutual attraction to both nuclei. This is different from transferring electrons, which creates ions that attract each other electrostatically—an ionic bond. It’s also different from forming a lattice of ions in a solid, which is characteristic of ionic compounds. So the defining feature is the sharing of electron pairs to hold the atoms together.