Final answer:
A covalent bond results when two electrons occupy a bonding molecular orbital, shared between two atoms due to the overlap of their atomic orbitals, creating a lower energy state.
Step-by-step explanation:
When two electrons occupy the bonding molecular orbital, a covalent bond results. This bond occurs when atomic orbitals from two atoms overlap in a way that their electron clouds are in phase, allowing the electrons to be shared between the atoms and creating a lower energy state than the original separate atomic orbitals. The type of covalent bond (single, double, triple) depends on the number of electron pairs shared and the orbitals involved, as described by the valence bond theory.
For instance, a single bond (σ bond) arises from end-to-end overlap and involves one electron pair, whereas double and triple bonds involve, respectively, one or more additional side-by-side π bonds created by the overlap of p orbitals. These concepts are also in line with the molecular orbital theory, where the filled bonding orbitals contribute to the bond strength of a molecule. The bond order, calculated from an energy level diagram showing the net number of bonding electrons, determines the strength and type of bond.