Covalent Bonding in Elements

Covalent Bonding
Covalent bonding in elements

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34 © Boardworks Ltd 2005
2004
The covalent bond
When non-metal atoms react together, they need to gain
electrons to fill their outer shell and become stable.
incomplete
H outer shells
H
They can only do this if they share electrons with each other.
both atoms have a

H H full outer shell
The atoms share electrons so there is a strong force that

joins the atoms together. This is called a covalent bond.
Covalent bonding and elements
Many elements exist as molecules – two or more atoms
joined by a covalent bond. Each atom has a full outer
electron shell and is therefore stable.
H H O O Cl Cl
Only the outer shell of electrons is involved in covalent
bonding. This means that the inner shells do not always
have to be included in diagrams.
Two common ways to indicate a covalent bond are:
H–H dot and cross

solid line H H
H – H
diagram
Covalent bonding in hydrogen
Hydrogen (electron configuration: 1) needs 1 more electron
to have a completely full outer shell.
To achieve this, it can share an electron with another
hydrogen atom. This creates a single bond and the two
hydrogen atoms form a hydrogen molecule.
H H
H2 or H–H
There are two atoms in the molecule so it is called diatomic.

Covalent bonding in chlorine
Chlorine (2.8.7) needs 1 more electron to have a completely
full outer shell.
To achieve this, it can share an electron with another chlorine
atom. This creates a single bond.
Cl Cl
Cl
Cl2 or Cl–Cl
Covalent bonding in oxygen
Oxygen (2.6) needs 2 more electrons to have a completely
full outer shell.
To achieve this, it can share two electrons with another
oxygen atom. This creates a double bond.
O O O O
O2 or O=O
Covalent bonding in nitrogen
Nitrogen (2.5) needs 3 more electrons to have a completely
full outer shell.
It can share three electrons with another nitrogen atom to do
this. This creates a triple bond.
NN N N
N2 or N≡N
Covalent bonding in compounds
Covalent bonding in compounds
Covalent bonding can take place between atoms of different
elements to create molecules of covalent compounds.
These covalent bonds can be single, double or triple.
Both hydrogen (1) and chlorine (2.8.7) need 1 more electron

to fill their outer shell. By sharing one electron each, they can
fill their outer shells and become stable.
H Cl
HCl or H Cl
Covalent bonding in water
Oxygen (2.6) needs 2 more electrons, but hydrogen (1) only
needs 1 more. How can these two elements be covalently
bonded?
The oxygen atom shares 1 electron with 1 hydrogen atom,
and a second electron with another hydrogen atom.
O
H H
H2O or H O H
Covalent bonding in ammonia
How are nitrogen and hydrogen bonded in ammonia?
N H
Electron 2.5 1
configuration
H
Electrons H N
3 1
needed
Ratio of
atoms 1 3
H
NH3 or H N H
H
Covalent bonding in methane
How are carbon and hydrogen
bonded in methane? H
C H
Electron 2.4 1
configuration
H
Electrons H C
4 1
needed
Ratio of
atoms 1 4
H H
CH4 or H C H
H
More covalent bonding diagrams
Draw a line diagram to show the bonding in:
1. hydrogen sulfide H S H
2. carbon dioxide O C O
H H
3. ethane (C2H6) H C C H
H H
True or false?
Covalent structures
Simple covalent structures
Atoms that join together by covalent bonding can form
different types of covalent structure.
Oxygen, water and carbon dioxide are molecules. They have
a simple structure because they only contain a few atoms.
O
O O O C O
H H
Most molecular substances are gas or liquid at room

temperature. A few are solid and these are called
molecular solids.
Molecular solids – iodine
Iodine is a molecular solid at room temperature.
Two iodine atoms form a single covalent I

bond to become an iodine molecule.
I
Millions of iodine molecules

are held together by weak
forces of attraction to create
a 3D molecular lattice.
weak forces
of attraction
Properties of molecular solids
The weak forces of attraction between molecules in
molecular solids only require a small amount of energy to be
broken. This means that molecular solids:
 have low melting and boiling points;

 are usually soft and brittle – they shatter when hit.
In addition, molecular solids:

 are usually insoluble in water but soluble in other solvents
such as petrol;
 cannot conduct electricity – there are no free electrons to
carry an electrical charge.
Giant covalent structures
In some substances, millions of atoms join together by
covalent bonding. This produces giant covalent structures,
not molecules.
All the bonds are covalent,

which means that giant
covalent structures have a
very high melting and boiling
point, and are usually hard.
Allotropes of carbon
In the element carbon, atoms bond in different ways,
creating different kinds of giant structures.
Two of these structures are diamond and graphite.

They are called allotropes of carbon.
Allotropes have the same chemical properties because

they have the same number of electrons.
However, they have different physical properties because

the electrons are shared in different ways with other atoms.
The structure of diamond
Diamond is a rare form of This pattern arrangement is
carbon in which each atom repeated millions of times to
is covalently bonded to four create a giant lattice.
others.
C
C
C
C
The properties of diamond
All the electrons in the outer shell of the carbon atom (2.4) are
used in covalent bonds. This affects diamond’s properties.
 Diamond is very hard – the

hardest natural substance on Earth.
 Diamond has a very high melting

and boiling point – a lot of energy is
needed to break the covalent bonds.
 Diamond cannot conduct

electricity – there are no free
electrons or ions to carry a
charge
The structure of graphite
Graphite is a much more This forms rings of six atoms,
common form of carbon. in creating a giant structure
which each atom is containing many layers. These
covalently bonded to three layers are held together by
others. weak forces of attraction.
C C
weak forces of attraction
The properties of graphite
Only three of the four electrons in the outer shell of the
carbon atom (2.4) are used in covalent bonds. This affects
graphite’s properties.
 Graphite is soft and slippery –
layers can easily slide over each
other because the weak forces of
attraction are easily broken. This is
why graphite is used as a lubricant.
 Graphite can conduct

electricity – the only
non-metal to do. There is a
free electron from each atom
to carry a charge.
Allotropes and their properties
How do the different properties of diamond and graphite
depend on their structures?
Other allotropes of carbon
Other allotropes of carbon have been discovered in the last
30 years. They are large but not really giant structures.
One allotrope is buckminsterfullerene. It contains 60 carbon
atoms, each of which bonds with three others by forming two
single bonds and one double bond.
These atoms are arranged in 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons
to form spheres, which are sometimes called ‘bucky balls’.
C
C C
Sand
Sand is an impure form of silicon dioxide (quartz). It has a
giant covalent structure with certain similarities to diamond.
Each silicon atom (2.8.4) is bonded to four

oxygen atoms, and each oxygen atom (2.6)
is bonded to two silicon atoms.
Si
O
O
O
Bonding and structure
Covalent
Summary Bonding
activities
Glossary (part 1)
allotrope – A structurally different form of an element with
different physical properties.
covalent bond – A strong bond between two atoms in
which each atom shares one or more electrons with the other.
covalent compound – A compound containing atoms
joined by covalent bonds.
double bond – A covalent bond in which each atom
shares two of its electrons.
giant structure – A structure containing millions of atoms
or ions bonded together. The structure extends in three
dimensions until all available atoms are used up.
Glossary (part 2)
molecule – A simple structure containing two or more
atoms covalently bonded together.
 molecular solid – A solid substance made up of
molecules held together by weak forces of attraction, forming
a lattice.
single bond – A covalent bond in which each atom shares
one of its electrons.
triple bond – A covalent bond in which each atom shares
three of its electrons.

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Covalent Bonding

Covalent bonding in elements

both atoms have a

The atoms share electrons so there is a strong force that

H–H dot and cross

There are two atoms in the molecule so it is called diatomic.

Both hydrogen (1) and chlorine (2.8.7) need 1 more electron

Most molecular substances are gas or liquid at room

Two iodine atoms form a single covalent I

Millions of iodine molecules

 have low melting and boiling points;

In addition, molecular solids:

All the bonds are covalent,

Two of these structures are diamond and graphite.

Allotropes have the same chemical properties because

However, they have different physical properties because

 Diamond is very hard – the

 Diamond has a very high melting

 Diamond cannot conduct

 Graphite can conduct

Each silicon atom (2.8.4) is bonded to four

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