Understanding Covalent Bonds: Why Do They Hold Molecules Together?

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SUMMARY

Covalent bonds hold molecules together through the attraction between two positive nuclei and a shared negative electron. This attractive force must exceed the repulsion between the positive nuclei for a covalent bond to form. While the binding energy of covalent bonds is weaker than the strong force that binds protons and neutrons in the nucleus, the theory of covalent bonding is widely accepted among quantum physicists. For a deeper understanding, refer to the article by Kutzelnigg.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of atomic structure and electron configuration
  • Basic knowledge of forces in physics, particularly electromagnetic forces
  • Familiarity with quantum mechanics principles
  • Awareness of the differences between covalent and ionic bonding
NEXT STEPS
  • Read the article by Kutzelnigg on covalent bonding for in-depth insights
  • Explore the concept of binding energy in molecular chemistry
  • Study the principles of quantum mechanics related to atomic interactions
  • Investigate the differences between covalent and ionic bonds in detail
USEFUL FOR

Chemistry students, educators, and anyone interested in molecular chemistry and atomic interactions will benefit from this discussion.

RichyOwen
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I took chemistry a couple years ago but never got a satisfactory answer as to why covalent bonds hold molecules together. I understand that they share their outermost electrons, but why would that keep them together? Do the electrons pull against each other or something?
 
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Welcome to PhysicsForums, RichyOwen!

A simple way of considering it: if two positive nuclei are attracted to the same negative electron, and that attractive force exceeds the repulsion of the two positive nuclei, then net attraction means the nuclei form a covalent bond.

That binding energy is not very strong compared to the binding of positively charged protons and neutrons due to the strong force within the nucleus, of course.
 
Thanks so much! I was quite puzzled. Do you know if covalent theory is accepted by most quantum physicists?
 
Also, will the two nuclei then be the same distance (on average) from the shared electron?
 
RichyOwen said:
Thanks so much! I was quite puzzled. Do you know if covalent theory is accepted by most quantum physicists?
Yes, it is. The question would have been maybe more apt for the Atomic, solid state, comp phys forum.
One of the best explanations of covalent bonding in my opinion is given in this article by Kutzelnigg:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.197305461/abstract
 
Sorry I'm new to this forum stuff. Thank you!
 

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