Which statement best describes the H2 molecule?

• A. The electrons are shared unequally toward the more electronegative atom, making the molecule polar.
• B. The electrons are in the center because both atoms have the same electronegativity, so the molecule is nonpolar.
• C. The electrons are located away from the bond completely.
• D. The electrons are transferred from one atom to the other, forming ions.

Answer: (A)

When identical atoms form a covalent bond, they pull on the shared electrons equally, so the electron density is symmetric between the nuclei. In H2, both hydrogens have the same electronegativity, meaning the bonding electrons are shared evenly and there is no net dipole moment. This makes the molecule nonpolar.

Statements that imply unequal sharing toward a more electronegative atom describe polar bonds, which isn’t the case for H2. The idea that electrons are located away from the bond is incorrect because a covalent bond involves a bonding electron pair between the two atoms. The notion that electrons are transferred to form ions describes an ionic bond, not a covalent H–H bond.