alleryStart learning →In a chlorine molecule the two bonded atoms are identical. How are the bonding electrons shared?
AMostly by one of the atoms
BNot shared but transferred
COnly during part of the time
DEqually between the two atoms
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. Equally between the two atoms
1. Both atoms in Cl2 are chlorine, so they pull on electrons with exactly the same strength.
2. With no imbalance in pull, the shared pair sits equally near each nucleus.
3. That even sharing is what makes the bond a pure covalent bond.
4. A transfer of electrons would give ions instead, and no ions form between two identical atoms.
_Source: OpenStax Chemistry (CC BY 4.0), Chs 7 and 17, section 7.2 Covalent Bonding_
Keep practising Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry
Browse all Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry questions for NY Regents Chemistry, or explore more Chemistry topics.
Related questions
Swipe each molecule by polarityDrop each formula by bond typeSwap to line up one familyCarbon dioxide contains two polar carbon to oxygen bonds, yet the whole molecule is nonpolAmmonia has three bonds and one lone pair around its nitrogen atom. What is the shape of tBreaking all four carbon to hydrogen bonds in one mole of methane takes 1660 kJ. What is tHow does a carbon to carbon triple bond compare with a carbon to carbon single bond?Nitric oxide has 11 valence electrons in total. What does that odd count tell you before y