Orbital Representation of Covalent Bonds

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Covalent bonds are formed by the overlap of atomic orbitals. As orbitals have different shapes, it is difficult to represent the actual shape of the orbitals on the paper. Hence a pictorial notation is adopted with the following rules:

• An orbital is represented by a square box () or a circle (O). An empty box describes a vacant orbital.

• Electrons are represented by arrows pointing upwards (h) or downwards (i) that gives the clockwise or anticlockwise spin respectively.

• Each box can accommodate at the most two electrons of opposite spins only. Single arrow represents the presence of one electron while two arrows (opposite direction) represents two paired electrons.

• The orbitals of the valence shells of the bonding atoms are shown in the order of increasing energies.

• The overlapping of the orbitals is shown by 'dashed' lines enclosing the orbitals concerned.