Atoms in a molecule are held together through shared __________.
Atoms in a molecule are held together through shared electrons.
To understand how atoms are held together in a molecule, we can look at the concept of chemical bonding. The most common types of chemical bonding are covalent bonding and ionic bonding.
Covalent bonding occurs when two or more nonmetal atoms share electrons to achieve a more stable electron configuration. In a covalent bond, the atoms involved share pairs of electrons, known as shared electrons. This sharing of electrons creates a bond between the atoms, holding them together as a molecule.
Ionic bonding, on the other hand, occurs between metal and nonmetal atoms. In an ionic bond, one atom completely transfers electrons to another atom, resulting in the formation of positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions). These oppositely charged ions are attracted to each other and form a bond.
In summary, the shared electrons play a crucial role in holding atoms together in a molecule, whether through covalent bonding or ionic bonding.