Covalent Bonds

Covalent bond = shared electrons Shared electrons are part of the valence shell of both atoms Covalent bonds occur between nonmetals

A single bond = 1 electron shared Single covalent bonds are also called sigma bonds

Atoms can only form one sigma bond For a double bond the atoms will have one sigma and one pi bond For a triple bond the atoms will have one sigma and two pi bonds

Polar covalent bonds occur when the electrons are not shared equally Unequal sharing of electrons occurs when there is a significant difference in electronegativity

Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract electrons When one atom has greater electronegativity than another it pulls more strongly on the electrons and creates unequal sharing