What is a defining feature of covalent bonds?

A defining feature of covalent bonds is the sharing of electrons between atoms. In a covalent bond, two or more atoms come together and each atom contributes one or more of its electrons to form a mutual bond. This shared electron configuration allows the atoms to achieve stability, often by filling their outer electron shells and obtaining a full octet, which is important for chemical stability.

Covalent bonds typically form between nonmetals, where the electronegativity difference between the atoms involved is not significant enough to result in electron transfer, which is characteristic of ionic bonds. Instead, the atoms share electrons more equally, creating a strong bond that can vary in character depending on how equally the electrons are shared.

This concept is distinct from other types of bonding, such as the transfer of electrons seen in ionic bonds or the attraction between charged particles, which does not apply to the sharing mechanism of covalent bonding. Delocalized electrons refer to electrons that are not associated with a single atom or bond, often seen in resonance structures or metallic bonds, and are not fundamental to the definition of covalent bonds themselves.