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Covalent Bond - IGCSE Chemistry Definition

Reviewed by: Alexandra Brennan

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What are covalent bonds?

A covalent bond is a type of chemical bond formed when two or more non-metal atoms share pairs of electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration. This bonding occurs because atoms want to fill their outer electron shells (also called valence shells) to become more stable. Covalent bonds can be single, double, or triple, depending on the number of shared electron pairs.

Examples include water (H2O), where oxygen shares electrons with hydrogen, and carbon dioxide (CO2).

Diagram of a water molecule showing electron sharing. Two hydrogen (H) atoms are bonded with one oxygen (O) atom. Display includes electrons as dots.
Covalent bonding in water

Covalent bonding is essential in IGCSE Chemistry, particularly when studying molecular structures and properties of substances.

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Alexandra Brennan

Reviewer: Alexandra Brennan

Expertise: Chemistry Content Creator

Alex studied Biochemistry at Newcastle University before embarking upon a career in teaching. With nearly 10 years of teaching experience, Alex has had several roles including Chemistry/Science Teacher, Head of Science and Examiner for AQA and Edexcel. Alex’s passion for creating engaging content that enables students to succeed in exams drove her to pursue a career outside of the classroom at SME.

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