Chemistry Regents Practice Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Covalent bonds are characterized by the sharing of electron pairs between atoms, typically nonmetals. This sharing allows each atom to achieve a more stable electron configuration, often resembling that of noble gases. When two nonmetals bond covalently, they do so to fill their outer electron shells and attain stability.

In a covalent bond, the shared electrons are often represented as a line drawn between the two atomic symbols in a molecular formula, indicating the bond’s presence. The ability to share electrons helps to explain the formation of the vast majority of organic compounds, which are primarily composed of carbon and its bonds with other nonmetals like hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.

The other statements about covalent bonds do not accurately describe their nature. For instance, the first option incorrectly suggests that covalent bonds only form between metals and nonmetals; this is a characteristic of ionic bonds. The second statement implies that electrons are transferred, which describes ionic bonding, while in covalent bonding, electrons are shared. Lastly, the final choice suggests that covalent bonds cannot occur in organic substances, which is inaccurate; in fact, organic chemistry is largely based on covalent bonding. Thus, the focus on the sharing of electron pairs highlights the essence of cov