The atoms in an oxygen molecule (O2) are held together by a double covalent bond. This means two pairs of electrons are shared between the two oxygen atoms, forming two covalent bonds that hold the molecule together. Covalent bonds involve atoms sharing electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, and in the case of oxygen, each atom shares two electrons with the other, resulting in a stable diatomic molecule. In summary:
- The bond is a covalent bond.
- Specifically, it is a double covalent bond (two pairs of shared electrons).
- This sharing creates a strong bond that holds the two oxygen atoms together in the molecule.
This double covalent bond is often represented as O=O.
