A covalent bond is a type of chemical bond that involves the sharing of electrons between atoms to form electron pairs, also known as shared pairs or bonding pairs/Chemical_Bonding/Fundamentals_of_Chemical_Bonding/Covalent_Bonds). The stable balance of attractive and repulsive forces between atoms, when they share electrons, is known as covalent bonding. Covalent bonding is much more common than ionic bonding in organic chemistry.

Some key features of covalent bonds include:

• Directionality: Covalent bonds are directional, meaning that atoms so bonded prefer specific orientations relative to one another. This gives molecules definite shapes.

• Polarity: Covalent bonds between identical atoms are nonpolar, while those between unlike atoms are polar. In polar covalent bonds, one atom is slightly negatively charged and the other is slightly positively charged.

• Types of Covalent Bonds: Covalent bonding includes many kinds of interactions, including σ-bonding, π-bonding, metal-to-metal bonding, agostic interactions, bent bonds, three-center two-electron bonds, and three-center four-electron bonds.

Covalent bonds are affected by the electronegativity of the connected atoms, which determines the chemical polarity of the bond. Two atoms with equal electronegativity will make nonpolar covalent bonds, while an unequal relationship creates a polar covalent bond. Covalent compounds can be in a gas, liquid, or solid state and do not conduct electricity or heat well/Chemical_Bonding/Fundamentals_of_Chemical_Bonding/Covalent_Bonds).

In summary, a covalent bond is a type of chemical bond that involves the sharing of electrons between atoms to form electron pairs. Covalent bonding is much more common than ionic bonding in organic chemistry, and covalent bonds are directional and can be polar or nonpolar depending on the electronegativity of the connected atoms.