Mendeleev · science lesson
Covalent bonding: sharing is a model
Talking about ‘shared electrons’ is useful at first, but covalent bonding is more deeply described through electron density and molecular orbitals.
Start with the idea
Talking about ‘shared electrons’ is useful at first, but covalent bonding is more deeply described through electron density and molecular orbitals.
A concrete example
In H₂, both nuclei interact with shared electron density that stabilizes the molecule.
Practical method
Go one step deeper
A bond can be more or less polarized, so the boundary between ‘ionic’ and ‘covalent’ is not always absolute.
Common trap
A trend or model is not an exceptionless law. Always check the quantity’s definition and the conditions being compared.
Check your understanding
Can you explain the phenomenon in your own words before looking at an equation?