covalent bonds question?

[Ice_Phoenix87]

can anyone describe the formation of covalent molecules in terms of sharing of electrons.

[Crash]

They pair due to their orientation spin on electrons being 1/2 up or down so therefore cancel each other out and can coexist with out repulsion,

BTW pure covalent is only theoretical, two atoms can share electrons to satisfy each others want for a full octet

[Hades]

atoms, as u know, have a specific number of electrons respectively. These electrons circle the nucleus on orbitals. Orbitals themselves can house a certain number of electrons each shell, or orbital. For instance, Helium, the 2nd element has two electrons. The very first electron shell can contain two electrons. When the last shell of an element is full, it is a stable atom. Lithium for instance, has 3 electrons. One more than He. This third electron is on the next shell; and is considered 1 out of 8 possible electrons on that shell. This trend continues until it reahes Neon, where a new shell begins. Now, this also poses a problem for elements not in group 8, since all elements in group 8 are 'typically' stable. All matter tends to favor equilibrium; from water in a glass, to diffusion, equilbrium is a balance. An atom of Hydrogen has one electron. This one electron is on the first shell, which from before, can hold 2 electrons. But, since this Hydrogen atom only has one electron, the shell is unstable. In order to remedy this problem, the Hydrogen atom will bond with another atom and share its electron. When electrons are shared, more often than not, the entire molecule becomes stable. Lets say the H atom, with one electron to remind you, is near another H atom. Both are equally unstable. What will happen is the two atoms will share each others electrons, essentially borrowing the electron from the other atom to fill in the energy shell. By filling in the energy shell, the atom becomes stable.

Since a Helium atom already has its outermost shell already filled, it is stable, and therefore is reclusive when looking at a good portion of reactions.

Imagine now a Carbon atom. This carbon atoms outermost electron shell is only half filled, with four valence electrons (valence electrons are electrons that are on the outer orbital.) To suffice this atoms natural tendency to reach equilibrium, it will gain four electrons. If a carbon bonded to another carbon, it would share 4 electrons on top of its very own 4 electrons, thus filling that shell. Or, it could have 4 hydrogens bond to its 4 valence electrons. Each hydrogen has 1 electron to offer, which will suffice not only the carbons desire to fill its shell, but also the Hydrogen too!

(im very bored)

[Crash]

carbon is 1s2 2s2 2p2 so it only has 2 in its outer orbital when you look at it that way, but has four bonding capabilities