Question

Consider an atom of chlorine. How many total electrons are shared between an atom of chlorine and an atom of fluorine when they are covalently bonded?

Answer 1

When chlorine and fluorine are covalently bonded, one pair of electrons is shared between them. This forms a single covalent bond, and a total of two electrons are shared between an atom of chlorine and an atom of fluorine.

Step-by-step explanation:

A chlorine atom needs one more electron to complete its outermost energy level, and a fluorine atom also needs one more electron to complete its outermost energy level. When chlorine and fluorine are covalently bonded, one pair of electrons is shared between them. This forms a single covalent bond. Therefore, a total of two electrons are shared between an atom of chlorine and an atom of fluorine when they are covalently bonded.