Chemistry › Section G · Chemical bonding and molecular geometry › Topic G.2

Covalent bonding and electronegativity

When two atoms both hold on to their electrons tightly, neither gives one up; instead they share. How evenly they share depends on electronegativity, one number per element that predicts which end of a bond carries a slight negative charge.

In this topic

  • Sharing instead of transferring
  • How a bond forms
  • Properties of molecular substances
  • Pure and polar covalent bonds
  • Electronegativity
  • Electronegativity is not electron affinity
  • Bond type from electronegativity difference
  • Worked example: the hydrogen halides
  • Worked example: classifying bonds
  • Common mistakes to avoid
  • Key takeaways

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