kovalentiset

Kovalenttiset is a Finnish term referring to covalent bonds. A covalent bond is a type of chemical bond that involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms. These electron pairs are known as shared pairs or bonding pairs, and the stable balance of attractive and repulsive forces between atoms, when they share electrons, is known as covalent bonding. Covalent bonding is the strongest type of chemical bonding and is the basis of organic chemistry.

Atoms form covalent bonds to achieve a more stable electron configuration. Typically, this means achieving a full outer electron shell, which for many atoms is eight electrons, following the octet rule. Covalent bonds can form between two non-metal atoms. The number of covalent bonds that an atom can form is determined by its valency, which is the number of electrons in its outermost shell.

Covalent bonds can be single, double, or triple, depending on the number of electron pairs shared. A single bond involves sharing one pair of electrons, a double bond involves sharing two pairs, and a triple bond involves sharing three pairs. The strength and length of these bonds vary. For example, triple bonds are stronger and shorter than double bonds, which are stronger and shorter than single bonds between the same two atoms. Covalent bonds are responsible for the formation of a vast array of molecules, from simple diatomic gases like oxygen to complex biological macromolecules like DNA.