Question

Which of the following statements is correct with reference to covalent bonding?

a. Covalent bonds only form between like atoms.

b. The nonpolar covalent bond is the reason for hydrogen bonding.

c. Polyatomic compounds contain only covalent bonds.

d. None of these is a correct statement.

Answer 1

The correct statement about covalent bonding is that none of the given options is correct. Covalent bonds do not lead to hydrogen bonding, and polyatomic compounds can have both covalent and ionic bonds.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement with reference to covalent bonding is option (d): None of these is a correct statement. Covalent bonds can form between unlike atoms and involve the sharing of electrons. Nonpolar covalent bonds involve equal sharing and do not lead to hydrogen bonding; that role is primarily due to polar covalent bonds. Polyatomic compounds often contain covalent bonds but can also include ionic bonds within their structure. For example, ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) has covalent bonding within the ammonium ion (NH4+) and ionic bonding between the ammonium ion and the chloride ion (Cl−).

Answer 2

None of the given options about covalent bonding are correct. Covalent bonds can form between different nonmetal atoms, and polyatomic compounds can contain both covalent and ionic bonds. The correct option is d.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement with reference to covalent bonding is none of the options provided. Covalent bonds can form between like or different nonmetal atoms, hydrogen bonds are a type of dipole-dipole interaction and not directly related to the nature of covalent bonds, and polyatomic compounds can have both covalent and ionic bonds within them.

Covalent bonds are formed through the sharing of electrons between nonmetal atoms. These can be further classified into polar covalent bonds and nonpolar covalent bonds, depending on the electronegativity difference between the atoms. An example of a molecule with nonpolar covalent bonds is hydrogen gas (H₂), where the electrons are shared equally between the two hydrogen atoms.

Ionic bonds, on the other hand, form when electrons are transferred from one atom to another, leading to the creation of ions, which are then held together by electrostatic forces. These bonds typically occur between metals and nonmetals. Hence, d is the correct option.