alleryStart learning →When are the electrons of a covalent bond shared completely equally?
AWhen one bonded atom is a metal
BWhen the two atoms differ in size
CWhen the two bonded atoms are identical
DWhen a lone pair sits between them
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. When the two bonded atoms are identical
1. Equal sharing needs both atoms to pull on the bonding electrons with exactly the same strength.
2. Only identical atoms are guaranteed to do that, as in a chlorine or a hydrogen molecule.
3. Such a bond is called a pure covalent bond, and the electrons sit no closer to one nucleus than the other.
4. Once the atoms differ, one attracts the pair more strongly and the bond becomes polar.
_Source: OpenStax Chemistry (CC BY 4.0), Ch 7 "Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry", section Pure vs. Polar Covalent Bonds_
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