Which type of chemical bond is formed between two chlorine atoms (Cl) in Cl_2 when both atoms are in an excited state?

• A. Hydrogen bond
• B. Ionic bond
• C. Covalent bond
• D. Metallic bond

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the nature of the atoms involved. Chlorine (Cl) is a nonmetal, and when two chlorine atoms bond, they typically share electrons rather than transfer them.
2. Step 2: Recall the types of chemical bonds: Ionic bonds form between metals and nonmetals by electron transfer; covalent bonds form between nonmetals by sharing electrons; metallic bonds occur between metal atoms; hydrogen bonds are intermolecular forces, not bonds between atoms in a molecule.
3. Step 3: Consider the excited state of chlorine atoms. Even when excited, chlorine atoms still tend to share electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, rather than transferring electrons completely.
4. Step 4: Recognize that the bond in Cl_2 involves sharing one pair of electrons between the two chlorine atoms, which is characteristic of a covalent bond.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the bond formed between two chlorine atoms in Cl_2, regardless of their excited state, is a covalent bond.