Would distinguishable particles experience bonding?

[Happiness]

The book explains covalent bonding is due to exchange forces of attraction, which isn't a real force but the last term in [5.22]. This term arises due to electrons being indistinguishable particles.

If electrons were distinguishable, there would be no exchange forces. Then, would there still be covalent bonds? In other words, are there other factors that give rise to a covalent bond? Would the Coulombic forces of attraction between distinguishable protons and distinguishable electrons produce a covalent bond? Is it that exchange forces just make a covalent bond stronger or is it that without them, there will be no covalent bonds?

Are covalent bonds evidence that electrons are indistinguishable particles?

Reference: Intro to QM, David J Griffiths, p208

 

[A. Neumaier]

If electrons were distinguishable, there would be no exchange forces. Then, would there still be covalent bonds?

There would still be bonds, though whether to call them covalent would be perhaps questionable.

 

[PeterDonis]

Would the Coulombic forces of attraction between distinguishable protons and distinguishable electrons produce a covalent bond?

It would produce a bond, yes. See, for example, the discussion in section 10-3 of this chapter of the Feynman Lectures on Physics:

http://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/III_10.html
He first shows the existence of a bound state for the hydrogen molecule without making any assumptions about the particles being indistinguishable, and then shows how the fact that electrons are indistinguishable fermions requires that the electrons in the hydrogen molecule must have opposite spins.