Final answer:
The chemical symbol O=O indicates that the two oxygen atoms are connected by a double bond, which is a type of covalent bond involving the sharing of two pairs of electrons to achieve stable valence shells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chemical symbol O=O means that the atoms are double bonded. In this context, oxygen gas (O₂) is comprised of two oxygen atoms sharing two pairs of electrons in a double covalent bond. Each oxygen atom has six electrons in its valence shell which means it needs two more to be stable. Thus, by each oxygen atom sharing two electrons via a double covalent bond, both achieve a stable electronic configuration with filled valence shells.
To further understand, an oxygen molecule consists of two oxygen atoms bonded together. An individual oxygen atom has six electrons in the valence shell and requires two more to complete its octet. When two oxygen atoms come together, they can share two pairs of electrons, forming a double bond. This is not an ionic bond but a covalent bond where the sharing of electrons occurs equally. Additionally, neither atom loses electrons; rather, they participate jointly in the bonding electrons, so the orbitals are not zeroed out but filled.