Bond Types
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  • What are covalent bonds, and can you determine whether they are polar or nonpolar (if given a table of electronegativities)? Do you understand how the partial charges in polar bonds can allow those molecules to be soluble and hydrophilic?

Covalent bonds form when nonmetal atoms share electrons to fill their outer valence shells, and their polarity can be determined by subtracting their electronegativity values. 

In polar covalent bonds, the more electronegative atom pulls the shared electrons closer, generating a partial negative charge (\(\delta-\)) on itself and a partial positive charge (\(\delta+\)) on the other atom. Because water is also a highly polar molecule, its own partial charges act like tiny magnets that attract and surround these charged regions, forming strong intermolecular interactions that allow the polar molecule to easily dissolve, making it hydrophilic (water-loving).







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