Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to or characterized by covalent bonds: Describes a type of strong chemical bond where two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons.
   • Pertaining to covalence: Relating to the number of electron pairs an atom can share with other atoms.

Usage

• The term "covalent" is primarily used in chemistry to describe the nature of a bond between atoms or the structure of a molecule.
• It is most commonly used attributively before a noun (e.g., covalent bond, covalent compound).
• It describes a fundamental type of chemical interaction distinct from ionic or metallic bonding.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • Water is a covalent molecule. (The atoms in a water molecule are held together by shared electrons.)
  • A covalent bond is typically formed between two non-metal atoms. (This bond involves the sharing of electron pairs.)
  • The compound has a simple covalent structure. (The substance is made of molecules where atoms share electrons.)

Advanced Usage

• "Covalent character": Refers to the degree or extent to which a bond exhibits properties of electron sharing, even in bonds that are primarily ionic.
  • The bond has significant covalent character due to the similar electronegativity of the atoms.
• "Covalent network solid": Describes a solid material where atoms are bonded in a continuous network by covalent bonds (e.g., diamond, quartz).
  • Diamond is an extremely hard covalent network solid.

Variants and Related Words

• Covalently (adverb): In a manner involving a covalent bond.
  • The atoms are covalently bonded.
• Covalency / Covalence (noun): The number of electron pairs an atom can share; the state of being linked by covalent bonds.
  • Carbon has a covalency of four.
• Covalent bond (noun phrase): The specific bond formed by the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

Synonyms

• Electron-sharing: (Descriptive phrase) Involving the sharing of electrons between atoms.
• Nonpolar covalent: (Specific type) A covalent bond where electrons are shared equally.
• Polar covalent: (Specific type) A covalent bond where electrons are shared unequally.

Antonyms

• Ionic: Relating to a bond formed by the complete transfer of electrons from one atom to another.
• Metallic: Relating to a bond characteristic of metals, involving a "sea" of delocalized electrons.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Coordinate covalent bond / Dative bond: A type of covalent bond where both shared electrons come from the same atom.
  • In an ammonium ion, one bond is a coordinate covalent bond.
• Covalent radius: Half the distance between the nuclei of two identical atoms joined by a covalent bond.
  • The covalent radius of chlorine is used to predict bond lengths.

Adjective

1. of or relating to or characterized by covalence
   • covalent bond