Question

4. Explain the formation of covalent bonds in the following (a-d full, e-h only draw):
a) Hydrogen
b) chlorine
c) oxygen
d) nitrogen
e) ammonia
f) methane
g) carbon dioxide
h) water

Answer 1

Answer:Covalent bonds, which hold the atoms within an individual molecule together, are formed by the sharing of electrons in the outer atomic orbitals. The distribution of shared as well as unshared electrons in outer orbitals is a major determinant of the three-dimensional shape and chemical reactivity of molecules. For instance, as we learn in Chapter 3, the shape of proteins is crucial to their function and their interactions with small molecules. In this section, we discuss important properties of covalent bonds and describe the structure of carbohydrates to illustrate how the geometry of bonds determines the shape of small biological molecules.