What is a covalent bond?
3 marks · EasyTable 1 shows the number of outer shell electrons and covalent bonds formed by some elements.
| Element | Number of outer electrons | Number of covalent bonds |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen | 1 | ? |
| Oxygen | 6 | ? |
| Carbon | 4 | ? |
| Nitrogen | 5 | ? |
Work this out on paper, then compare with the answer and worked solution below. With a free account you can submit written answers for marking.
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Hydrogen 1; Oxygen 2; Carbon 4; Nitrogen 3
Must show: Hydrogen: 1; Oxygen: 2; Carbon: 4; Nitrogen: 3
Common mistakes: Incorrectly adding rather than subtracting from 8 or 2
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Marking points
A1 · 1 mark · Correctly fills in the value for hydrogen: 1 bond
A2 · 1 mark · Correctly fills in the value for oxygen: 2 bonds
A3 · 1 mark · Correctly fills in the values for carbon and nitrogen: 4 and 3 bonds respectively
Worked solution
| Element | Number of outer electrons | Number of covalent bonds |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen | 1 | 1 |
| Oxygen | 6 | 2 |
| Carbon | 4 | 4 |
| Nitrogen | 5 | 3 |