Final answer:
Covalent compounds are often referred to by the term 'molecules' and consist of atoms of nonmetallic elements sharing valence electrons through covalent bonds. Simple covalent compounds can have common names like water for H2O, utilizing Greek prefixes for the number of atoms when named systematically. These compounds tend to have low boiling points and do not conduct electricity well.
Step-by-step explanation:
Covalent compounds are commonly referred to by the shorter term molecules. These compounds consist of two or more nonmetallic elements held together by covalent bonds, where atoms share pairs of valence electrons. A molecule is the smallest particle of a covalent compound that still retains the properties of the compound.
Simple covalent compounds often have common names, which are used instead of their systematic names for convenience or historical reasons. For instance, H2O is known as water, not dihydrogen monoxide. When naming covalent compounds that consist of two elements, we apply a set of rules that includes the use of Greek prefixes to indicate the number of atoms, naming the more metallic element (left-most element in the periodic table) first, and altering the ending of the more nonmetallic element to "-ide."
As discrete molecules, covalent compounds display certain properties such as having relatively low boiling points and being poor conductors of electricity. The formula of a covalent compound represents the atoms involved and their respective quantities; for example, the water molecule H2O has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.