noun
- the number of electron pairs that an atom shares with other atoms in a covalent bond
Usage: chemistry term; also called covalency
Examples
- Oxygen has a covalence of two, meaning it typically forms two covalent bonds.
- The covalence of carbon allows it to bond with up to four other atoms.
- Understanding covalence is essential for predicting molecular structure.
- Nitrogen exhibits a covalence of three in many organic compounds.
- The covalence of an element determines how many electrons it can share.