Britannica Sources used in this answer

How many sigma and pi bonds are in a double bond?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Diagram showing four types of crystal bonding: ionic bonding with sodium and chlorine ions, covalent bonding with carbon atoms sharing electrons, metallic bonding with iron ions surrounded by free electrons, and molecular bonding with hydrogen molecules held by weak electrical attraction. — chemical bonding Different types of bonding in crystals.

A double bond consists of one sigma bond and one pi bond.12

In this type of covalent bond, two pairs of electrons are shared between two atoms. The sigma bond provides a strong, cylindrically symmetrical connection between the nuclei, while the pi bond—formed by the side-to-side overlap of orbitals—adds to the bond's strength and restricts rotation around the bond axis.132