Video narration
How can two atoms stick together if neither simply gives away its electrons? Think of two people holding the same jump rope. The rope connects them because both hold it. In a covalent bond, the shared object is a pair of electrons. Valence electrons are the outer electrons involved in bonding. Take two hydrogen atoms. Each contributes one electron. Together, they form H2: one shared pair. Here's the turn: the electrons are not handed from one hydrogen to the other. Both atoms share and count that pair. They aren't frozen; they occupy space between them. This shared pair gives each hydrogen a more stable outer arrangement. Atoms can share one, two, or three pairs, making single, double, or triple bonds. So, how do atoms bond without one giving everything away? They stick together by sharing a pair of electrons-both atoms count it as part of their outer electrons.