Question

Describe the process of how a covalent bond forms. You should discuss the types of atoms involved (metals or non-metals) as well as the electrons involved

Answer 1

In a covalent bond electrons are shared.

Answer 2

The above answer is very vague. Covalent bonds occur when Electronegativities differ by a smaller amount that ~2.0. This is a general rule, you may have covalent bonds between metals and non metals as well. Covalent bonds occur when the HOMO of the Nucleophile interacts with the LUMO of the electrophile. For example, CH3Cl is an electrophile with a LUMO on the back side of the Cl atom. If you put in NH3 which is a weaker Nucleophile but has a lone pair of electrons, those will go into the LUMO knocking off Cl and will be replaced by the Nh3 molecule. Its all qualitative wheather it is a covalent bond. It also depends on which solvent you are in, polar, nonpolar, gas phase, liquid phase, temperature.