Question
In covalent bonding electrons are shared within molecules this is because?
sharing allows them to achieve a noble gas configuration (octet) or they are forced to share because they are so close together
sharing allows them to achieve a noble gas configuration (octet) or they are forced to share because they are so close together
Answers
GPT-5 mini
The first statement is the better explanation: atoms form covalent bonds because sharing electrons lets them reach a lower‑energy, more stable electron arrangement (for many main‑group atoms this corresponds to a noble‑gas (octet) configuration).
A little more detail:
- Chemically, a bond forms when the arrangement with the electrons shared (or delocalized) between the atoms has lower total energy than the separated atoms.
- Quantum mechanically this happens because atomic orbitals overlap to make molecular orbitals. The bonding molecular orbital has increased electron density between the nuclei, so the electrons are more strongly attracted to both nuclei and the system’s energy drops.
- Orbital overlap (i.e. the atoms being close enough) is necessary for bonding, but proximity alone does not “force” sharing — only if sharing lowers the energy will a bond form.
- The octet rule is a useful heuristic for many main‑group elements, but it’s an approximation; there are exceptions (H, Be, B, expanded octets, delocalized bonds, etc.).
So: covalent bonding is driven by energy stabilization (often expressed as achieving a noble‑gas/“octet” arrangement), with orbital overlap enabling that stabilization.
A little more detail:
- Chemically, a bond forms when the arrangement with the electrons shared (or delocalized) between the atoms has lower total energy than the separated atoms.
- Quantum mechanically this happens because atomic orbitals overlap to make molecular orbitals. The bonding molecular orbital has increased electron density between the nuclei, so the electrons are more strongly attracted to both nuclei and the system’s energy drops.
- Orbital overlap (i.e. the atoms being close enough) is necessary for bonding, but proximity alone does not “force” sharing — only if sharing lowers the energy will a bond form.
- The octet rule is a useful heuristic for many main‑group elements, but it’s an approximation; there are exceptions (H, Be, B, expanded octets, delocalized bonds, etc.).
So: covalent bonding is driven by energy stabilization (often expressed as achieving a noble‑gas/“octet” arrangement), with orbital overlap enabling that stabilization.