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  • Hydrogen Bond vs Covalent Bond

Hydrogen Bond vs Covalent Bond

The difference between hydrogen bonds and covalent bonds is also the interaction between atoms in molecules or crystals. Hydrogen bonds and covalent bonds are both of the most important chemical bond types in the field of chemistry, but their nature, characteristics and bonding mechanisms are different.

Covalent bonds are strong interactions between atoms formed by sharing electron pairs. When bonding, the atoms participating in the bonding each produce a number of electrons to form a common electron pair. This electron pair is shared by the two atoms, so the atoms are closely connected. The strength of the covalent bond is quite high, and the bond energy is usually between 100 and 1000 kJ/mol. For example, hydrogen molecules ($H_2 $), two hydrogen atoms each give one electron to form a common electron pair, which is a covalent bond, so that the hydrogen atom is stably bonded. The covalent bond has directivity and saturation, and the directionality is derived from the overlapping orientation of the atomic orbitals, and the saturation is limited by the number of valence electrons of the atom.

In contrast, hydrogen bonds are a weak intermolecular or intramolecular interaction. The formation requires hydrogen atoms to be covalently connected to atoms with large electronegativity and small radius (such as fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen, etc.). The hydrogen atom is connected to the electronegativity atom, and the electron cloud is biased towards the atom, causing the hydrogen atom to be slightly positive. At this time, if it encounters another electronegative atom, there will be electrostatic attraction between the two, which is a hydrogen bond. The bond energy of hydrogen bonds is relatively small, about 5-50 kJ/mol. For example, between water molecules, hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms are connected by covalent bonds, and hydrogen atoms in water molecules can form hydrogen bonds between hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms of adjacent water molecules. Although this hydrogen bond is weaker than the covalent bond, it has a profound impact on the physical and chemical properties of water, such as raising the boiling point of water and maximizing the density at 4 ° C.

In summary, hydrogen bonds are by no means covalent bonds. Covalent bonds are bonded by shared electron pairs, with high strength; hydrogen bonds are based on the electrostatic attraction between hydrogen atoms and electronegative atoms, and the strength is weak. The two are significantly different in nature, bond energy, and characteristics, and each has its own unique function in the structure and shaping properties of chemical systems.