* Polar Covalent Bonds: These bonds occur when two atoms share electrons unequally. One atom attracts the shared electrons more strongly than the other, leading to a partial negative charge on the more electronegative atom and a partial positive charge on the less electronegative atom.
* Electronegativity: The tendency of an atom to attract electrons in a bond is called electronegativity. Nonmetals generally have higher electronegativity values than metals.
Examples of Polar Covalent Bonds between Nonmetals:
* Water (H₂O): Oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, creating a polar covalent bond where the oxygen atom has a partial negative charge and the hydrogen atoms have partial positive charges.
* Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): Oxygen is more electronegative than carbon, making the C=O bonds polar.
* Ammonia (NH₃): Nitrogen is more electronegative than hydrogen, creating polar bonds.
Key Point: The difference in electronegativity between the atoms involved determines the polarity of the bond. The larger the difference, the more polar the bond will be.
In Summary: While nonmetals generally form covalent bonds, the difference in electronegativity between them can lead to the formation of polar covalent bonds.
