Final answer:
Potassium is unlikely to form a covalent bond because it is a metal that tends to lose electrons, forming ionic bonds. Unlike metals, non-metallic elements like fluorine, boron, hydrogen, and oxygen are more likely to share electrons and form covalent bonds, including hydrogen bonds when hydrogen is involved.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student asked which of the following is unlikely to form a covalent bond: A) Fluorine B) Potassium C) Boron D) Hydrogen E) Oxygen. In covalent bonding, non-metal atoms share electrons to fill their outer electron shells and achieve stability. Elements such as fluorine, boron, hydrogen, and oxygen are non-metallic and more likely to share electrons, forming covalent bonds. However, potassium is a metal with a tendency to lose an electron and form positively charged ions (cations), which means it tends to form ionic bonds rather than covalent bonds.
To expand on the nature of covalent bonds, a double covalent bond like that in oxygen gas (O=O) involves sharing two pairs of electrons. High electronegativity in elements like fluorine, oxygen, and nitrogen often leads to the formation of hydrogen bonds when bonded with hydrogen. In contrast, metals such as potassium typically form ionic compounds where electrons are transferred, not shared.