Question

nonmetals form covalent bonds (shared electron pairs) with other atoms. the number of covalent bonds a nonmetal forms is equal to which of these values? choose 1 answer: a the number of electrons the nonmetal has after it fills its valence shell b the number of valence electrons in the neutral nonmetal c the number of additional electrons the nonmetal needs to fill its valence shell

Explanation:

To determine the number of covalent bonds a nonmetal forms, we analyze the options:

• Option A: After filling the valence shell, the number of electrons is related to a full shell (e.g., 8 for most nonmetals), not bond count.
• Option B: Valence electrons (e.g., O has 6) don’t directly equal bonds; bonds depend on electrons needed to fill the shell.
• Option C: Nonmetals form covalent bonds to gain electrons (share them) to fill their valence shell. For example, O needs 2 electrons (to reach 8), so it forms 2 covalent bonds. This matches the concept of covalent bonding (sharing electrons to satisfy the octet rule).

Answer:

C. the number of additional electrons the nonmetal needs to fill its valence shell