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what type of bonds do compounds formed from non-metals consist of?

Compounds formed from non‑metals consist mainly of covalent bonds, where atoms share pairs of electrons instead of transferring them.

Quick Scoop

  • When a non‑metal bonds with another non‑metal, they usually share electrons to fill their outer shells, creating covalent bonds.
  • These covalent bonds can be:
    • Single (one shared pair)
    • Double (two shared pairs)
    • Triple (three shared pairs)
  • Examples:
    • Oxygen gas, O2\text{O}_2O2​, has a double covalent bond between two oxygen atoms.
    • Nitrogen gas, N2\text{N}_2N2​, has a triple covalent bond between two nitrogen atoms.
  • In school‑level chemistry, “non‑metal + non‑metal = covalent bond” is the standard rule used to predict bond type.