Which statement describes covalent bonding?

• A. Ions form bonds.
• B. Electrons are transferred from one atom to another.
• C. Atoms are neutral.
• D. Electrons are shared between atoms.

Answer: (D)

Covalent bonding happens when two atoms share electron pairs. By pooling electrons, each atom can feel like it has a full outer shell without giving up electrons to the other. Those shared electrons count toward the valence of both atoms, which holds the atoms together as a molecule. The number of shared pairs determines whether the bond is single, double, or triple, as in H2, O2, or N2. This contrasts with ionic bonding, where electrons are transferred to create ions that attract each other. The key idea is that the defining feature is sharing electrons between atoms, not transferring them.