covalent bond

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covalent bond Bond in which a pair (or pairs) of electrons is shared between two atoms. The bond is often represented by drawing a single line between the symbols of the two atoms that have bonded together. Sometimes the bonding is between atoms of different elements (e.g. hydrogen chloride, H—Cl), and sometimes between atoms of the same element (e.g. fluorine, F—F). The name ‘molecule’ is used to describe any uncharged particle containing covalently bonded atoms. See also IONIC BOND; and METALLIC BOND.

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