- #1
Mhorton91
- 42
- 1
So I was sitting in my very low level biology class today, and we covered some basic chemical concepts that we will need for the class, basics of atoms, the periodic table, sub atomic particles ect...
Then we got to the section on bonds, covalent bonds specifically. She showed the typical intro level pictures of how 2 (or more) atoms can share electrons (I attached one similar).
Now, given my very restricted "understanding" (non mathematical) of how electrons behave at the quantum level; it left me wondering how the actual "sharing" of electrons take place between atoms. Given that (if I understand correctly) if we don't observe the electrons, each electron is theoretically in all possible locations at every given moment, how then do 2 atoms share electrons?
I'm sure I'm missing something that most of you will find obvious, but, I'm adopting the "there is no stupid question" philosophy, and since a Google search didn't return anything as far as I could see, here I am.
Thanks for anyone who reads this. I also wasn't sure if this belonged here or in the quantum mechanics section, so I took a guess.
Thanks for any insight!
Marshall H.
Then we got to the section on bonds, covalent bonds specifically. She showed the typical intro level pictures of how 2 (or more) atoms can share electrons (I attached one similar).
Now, given my very restricted "understanding" (non mathematical) of how electrons behave at the quantum level; it left me wondering how the actual "sharing" of electrons take place between atoms. Given that (if I understand correctly) if we don't observe the electrons, each electron is theoretically in all possible locations at every given moment, how then do 2 atoms share electrons?
I'm sure I'm missing something that most of you will find obvious, but, I'm adopting the "there is no stupid question" philosophy, and since a Google search didn't return anything as far as I could see, here I am.
Thanks for anyone who reads this. I also wasn't sure if this belonged here or in the quantum mechanics section, so I took a guess.
Thanks for any insight!
Marshall H.