bonding pair

chemistry

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June 22, 2026

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In chemistry, a bonding pair refers to a shared pair of electrons between two atoms that forms a covalent bond. These shared electrons are located in the valence shells of the atoms and are crucial for holding the atoms together in a molecule.12

A double bond is a specific type of covalent bond where two pairs of electrons (four electrons total) are shared between two atoms, represented by two parallel lines in structural formulas.1

An ion pair, in contrast, consists of a positive ion and a negative ion temporarily held together by electrostatic attraction. These occur in concentrated electrolyte solutions, where oppositely charged ions briefly associate before dissociating.3

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chemical bonding
Lewis formulation of a covalent bond
…electron pair is called a bonding pair; the three other pairs of electrons on the chlorine atom are called lone pairs and play no direct role in holding the two atoms together.
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…electron pair is called a bonding pair; the three other pairs of electrons on the chlorine atom are called lone pairs and play no direct role in holding the two atoms together.
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chemical bonding
Molecules with multiple bonds
All four pairs are bonding, so the ion is predicted to be a regular tetrahedron, which it indeed is. The same conclusion about the shape of the molecule would be drawn from another possible Lewis structure, in which each bond is single:
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All four pairs are bonding, so the ion is predicted to be a regular tetrahedron, which it indeed is. The same conclusion about the shape of the molecule would be drawn from another possible Lewis structure, in which each bond is single:
Read More