To determine which pair of atoms would form a covalent bond, it is important to understand the nature of covalent bonds. Covalent bonds are typically formed between non-metal atoms due to their similar electronegativities and the need to share electrons to achieve stable electron configurations.
1. Calcium (Ca) and Bromine (Br):
- Calcium is a metal.
- Bromine is a non-metal.
- Typically, metals and non-metals form ionic bonds, not covalent bonds.
2. Rubidium (Rb) and Sulfur (S):
- Rubidium is a metal.
- Sulfur is a non-metal.
- Similar to the first pair, metals and non-metals typically form ionic bonds.
3. Cesium (Cs) and Nitrogen (N):
- Cesium is a metal.
- Nitrogen is a non-metal.
- Again, metals and non-metals generally form ionic rather than covalent bonds.
4. Oxygen (O) and Chlorine (Cl):
- Both oxygen and chlorine are non-metals.
- Non-metals tend to form covalent bonds by sharing electrons to achieve stable electron configurations.
Given these observations, the pair that is most likely to form a covalent bond is:
- Oxygen (O) and Chlorine (Cl)
Thus, the answer is that the pair of atoms that would form a covalent bond is oxygen (O) and chlorine (Cl).
