Why do atoms form chemical bonds?
Atoms form bonds to become more stable.
Atoms form bonds to achieve enlightenment.
Atoms form bonds to achieve higher energy.
Atoms form bonds to share electrons.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is: Atoms form bonds to become more stable.
Atoms form chemical bonds in order to achieve a more stable electron configuration. Atoms are more stable when they have a full outer electron shell, which typically involves eight electrons in the case of most elements (known as the octet rule). This is because the outer shell is energetically more stable when it is full.
In nature, most atoms do not have a full outer electron shell. To achieve a stable configuration, atoms interact with one another through chemical bonds, such as covalent or ionic bonds. For instance, when two atoms share electrons, as in covalent bonding, they both benefit from the shared electrons, achieving a more stable configuration. Similarly, in ionic bonding, atoms transfer electrons to achieve full outer shells.
Atoms of different elements bond in various ways depending on their electron configurations. Elements like hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon bond to achieve greater stability by sharing, gaining, or losing electrons. In a molecule like water (H₂O), oxygen shares electrons with two hydrogen atoms to complete its outer shell and achieve stability. The hydrogen atoms, in turn, complete their shells through sharing electrons with oxygen.
The concept of achieving “higher energy” is incorrect, as atoms tend to form bonds to lower their energy levels. Atoms with incomplete electron shells are in a higher-energy, unstable state. By bonding, atoms reduce their potential energy and move to a lower, more stable state.
Enlightenment is not a concept related to atoms or chemistry. Thus, atoms form bonds primarily to reach a more stable, lower-energy configuration.