Question

In the atmosphere, it is more common to find two oxygen molecules joined together than to find a single atom of oxygen. Why? What would that molecule look like? What would this molecule be called?

Answer 1

See explanation

Step-by-step explanation:

Oxygen has six electrons in its outermost shell. This means that its octet can be completed when it shares two electrons with another oxygen atom.

In a covalent bond, each bonding atom contributes one electron to the bond. This means that four electrons are shared between two oxygen atoms. Each atom contributes a total of two electrons which are shared. This molecule of oxygen satisfies the octet rule rather than a single atom of oxygen.

An image of the oxygen molecule is attached to this answer.

This system of two oxygen atoms joined together in a covalent bond is called an oxygen molecule(O2).