Final answer:
Covalent compounds typically do not dissolve well in water, do not conduct electricity, and often have low boiling points, making them liquids or gases at room temperature.
Step-by-step explanation:
Properties commonly associated with covalent compounds include the tendency to not dissolve in water, to not conduct electricity, and to have relatively low boiling points compared to ionic or metallic compounds. Many covalent compounds are liquids or gases at room temperature, reflecting their lower boiling points. Additionally, due to the nature of their bond, where electrons are shared between atoms rather than transferred as in ionic compounds, covalent compounds generally do not have freely moving electrons and thus do not conduct electricity. This is why substances such as plastics, which are covalent, are often water-resistant and used as electrical insulators.
Covalent compounds are often poor conductors of electricity because they do not have charged particles that can move freely in solution. When dissolved in water, they usually retain their molecular structures and do not break apart into ions that could carry a current. Therefore, a covalent compound in aqueous solution is considered to be a nonelectrolyte, which aligns with the properties listed as (b) not being soluble in water and (c) not conducting electricity.