Sharing electrons is what type of bond

Molecules with polar covalent bonds have a positive and negative side. In this analogy, each puppy represents an atom and each bone represents an electron. Water H2O , like hydrogen fluoride HF , is a polar covalent molecule. When you look at a diagram of water see Fig. The unequal sharing of electrons between the atoms and the unsymmetrical shape of the molecule means that a water molecule has two poles - a positive charge on the hydrogen pole side and a negative charge on the oxygen pole side.

We say that the water molecule is electrically polar. Each diagram shows the unsymmetrical shape of the water molecule. In part c , the polar covalent bonds are shown as electron dots shared by the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. In part d , the diagram shows the relative size of the atoms, and the bonds are represented by the touching of the atoms. The polar covalent bonding of hydrogen and oxygen in water results in interesting behavior, suc.

Water is attracted by positive and by negative electrostatic forces because the liquid polar covalent water molecules are able to move around so they can orient themselves in the presence of an electrostatic force. Although we cannot see the individual molecules, we can infer from our observations that in the presence of a negative charge, water molecules turn so that their positive hydrogen poles face a negatively charged object.

The same would be true in the presence of a positively charged object; the water molecules turn so that the negative oxygen poles face the positive object. See Fig. Polar covalent molecules exist whenever there is an asymmetry , or uneven distribution of electrons in a molecule. One or more of these asymmetric atoms pulls electrons more strongly than the other atoms.

For example, the polar compound methyl alcohol has a negative pole made of carbon and hydrogen and a positive pole made of oxygen and hydrogen see Fig. When molecules are symmetrical , however, the atoms pull equally on the electrons and the charge distribution is uniform. Symmetrical molecules are nonpolar. Each Oxygen atom has 6 valence electrons whereas the Carbon atom only has 4 valence electrons. To satisfy the Octet Rule, Carbon needs 4 more valence electrons.

Since each Oxygen atom has 3 lone pairs of electrons, they can each share 1 pair of electrons with Carbon; as a result, filling Carbon's outer valence shell Satisfying the Octet Rule. A Triple bond is when three pairs of electrons are shared between two atoms in a molecule.

It is the least stable out of the three general types of covalent bonds. It is very vulnerable to electron thieves! Below is a Lewis dot structure of Acetylene demonstrating a triple bond. As you can see from the picture below, Acetylene has a total of 2 Carbon atoms and 2 Hydrogen atoms. Each Hydrogen atom has 1 valence electron whereas each Carbon atom has 4 valence electrons.

Each Carbon needs 4 more electrons and each Hydrogen needs 1 more electron. Hydrogen shares its only electron with Carbon to get a full valence shell. Now Carbon has 5 electrons. Because each Carbon atom has 5 electrons single bond and 3 unpaired electrons--the two Carbons can share their unpaired electrons, forming a triple bond. Now all the atoms are happy with their full outer valence shell. A Polar Covalent Bond is created when the shared electrons between atoms are not equally shared.

This occurs when one atom has a higher electronegativity than the atom it is sharing with. The atom with the higher electronegativity will have a stronger pull for electrons Similiar to a Tug-O-War game, whoever is stronger usually wins.

As a result, the shared electrons will be closer to the atom with the higher electronegativity, making it unequally shared. A polar covalent bond will result in the molecule having a slightly positive side the side containing the atom with a lower electronegativity and a slightly negative side containing the atom with the higher electronegativity because the shared electrons will be displaced toward the atom with the higher electronegativity.

As a result of polar covalent bonds, the covalent compound that forms will have an electrostatic potential. This potential will make the resulting molecule slightly polar, allowing it to form weak bonds with other polar molecules. One example of molecules forming weak bonds with each other as a result of an unbalanced electrostatic potential is hydrogen bonding , where a hydrogen atom will interact with an electronegative hydrogen, fluorine, or oxygen atom from another molecule or chemical group.

As you can see from the picture above, Oxygen is the big buff creature with the tattoo of "O" on its arm. The little bunny represents a Hydrogen atom. The blue and red bow tied in the middle of the rope, pulled by the two creatures represents--the shared pair of electrons--a single bond.

Because the Hydrogen atom is weaker, the shared pair of electrons will be pulled closer to the Oxygen atom. A Nonpolar Covalent Bond is created when atoms share their electrons equally. This usually occurs when two atoms have similar or the same electron affinity. The closer the values of their electron affinity , the stronger the attraction. This occurs in gas molecules; also known as diatomic elements. Nonpolar covalent bonds have a similar concept as polar covalent bonds; the atom with the higher electronegativity will draw away the electron from the weaker one.

Since this statement is true--if we apply this to our diatomic molecules--all the atoms will have the same electronegativity since they are the same kind of element; thus, the electronegativities will cancel each other out and will have a charge of 0 i. Examples of gas molecules that have a nonpolar covalent bond: Hydrogen gas atom, Nitrogen gas atoms, etc. This creates a sodium cation and a chlorine anion. Notice that the net charge of the resulting compound is 0.

In this example, the magnesium atom is donating both of its valence electrons to chlorine atoms. Each chlorine atom can only accept 1 electron before it can achieve its noble gas configuration; therefore, 2 atoms of chlorine are required to accept the 2 electrons donated by the magnesium.

Notice that the net charge of the compound is 0. Covalent bonding is the sharing of electrons between atoms. This type of bonding occurs between two atoms of the same element or of elements close to each other in the periodic table.

This bonding occurs primarily between nonmetals; however, it can also be observed between nonmetals and metals. If atoms have similar electronegativities the same affinity for electrons , covalent bonds are most likely to occur. Because both atoms have the same affinity for electrons and neither has a tendency to donate them, they share electrons in order to achieve octet configuration and become more stable.

In addition, the ionization energy of the atom is too large and the electron affinity of the atom is too small for ionic bonding to occur. For example: carbon does not form ionic bonds because it has 4 valence electrons, half of an octet. To form ionic bonds, Carbon molecules must either gain or lose 4 electrons. This is highly unfavorable; therefore, carbon molecules share their 4 valence electrons through single, double, and triple bonds so that each atom can achieve noble gas configurations.

Covalent bonds include interactions of the sigma and pi orbitals; therefore, covalent bonds lead to formation of single, double, triple, and quadruple bonds. In this example, a phosphorous atom is sharing its three unpaired electrons with three chlorine atoms. In the end product, all four of these molecules have 8 valence electrons and satisfy the octet rule.

Ionic and covalent bonds are the two extremes of bonding. Polar covalent is the intermediate type of bonding between the two extremes. Some ionic bonds contain covalent characteristics and some covalent bonds are partially ionic. For example, most carbon-based compounds are covalently bonded but can also be partially ionic.

Polarity is a measure of the separation of charge in a compound. A compound's polarity is dependent on the symmetry of the compound and on differences in electronegativity between atoms.