Difference Between Electrovalency and Covalency

Introduction

In chemistry, there is a chain in which bonding happen from the lower level to higher level forming the large compounds. The bonds forming between the two elements are of different forms. In chemistry, the nature of the bond depends on the elements which are bonding with each other. The Bonds have different vallance’s and the valances are also different based on the nature of the bond forming between the elements. So, in the following article we are going to know about the concepts of Electrovalency and Covalency and the difference between them.

Electrovalency

Electrovalency is a number or an integer value that gives the information about the number of electrons gained by an atom or the number of electrons loss by an atom during the phase of the chemical bonding between the two atoms. An integer number is used to represent the Electrovalency of an atom after the phase of chemical bonding. The positive or a negative sign is given before the number to know whether the atom is lost the electrons or gained the electrons. The electrovalency of an atom is found between the atoms forming an electro valent bond or an ionic bond. If an atom is gained the electrons the negative sign is given before the number. If the atom is loosed the electrons a positive sign is given before a number.

Covalency

Covalency is a number given to represent the number of covalent bonds that are formed from over a particular atom. It can also be defined as the number of unpaired electrons present in a particular atom. This is called Covalency of an atom. The Covalency does not use any signs like the Electrovalency. The Covalency of an atom will always be a positive value or a zero. The covalency of an atom is given over the double bonds or pi bonds. In simple words, Covalency is the number of electrons that are required to complete the octet of a particular atom. With the help of covalency we can know how many electrons the atom can still donate to other atoms to complete the chemical bonding and forming a compound.

Differences

Electrovalency

• The electrovalency of an element is found over an electrovalent bond or an ionic bond is formed between the two atoms.
• The electrovalency uses integer values to represent the valency of an atom in the bonding.
• By the help of the electrovalency, we can get to know the ionic bond is formed between the two atoms.
• The valency can be negative and positive value. The positive and negative sign define whether the atom is gained or loosed the electrons.
• The electrovalency helps in achieving the stable configuration of an element.

Covalency

• Covalency of an atom is found over the covalent bonds which are formed between the two atoms.
• The covalency also uses the integer values to define the number of electrons shared in between the two atoms.
• The covalency helps in finding the formation of the covalent bond between the two atoms that are forming the bonds.
• Covalency helps in achieving the octate rule of a particular atom.
• The covalency does not only depend on sharing on electrons, it can also be given on the number of unpaired electrons present in a particular atom that can be shared to form a covalent bond.

Differences in a tabular form

Electrovalency	Covalency
The electrovalency is a number that is given based on the number of atoms lost or gained by an atom to form an electrovalent bond.	The covalency is a number that is given based on the number of covalent bonds formed between the two atoms.
In electrovalency, the negative and positive signs are used to represent whether the atom is gained or loosed the electrons.	In covalency, the positive integers are used to represent the number of atoms shared in between the two atoms to form a covalent bond.
The electrovalency can only described over the number of electrons gained or lost.	The covalency can also be described using the number of unpaired electrons.
Electrovalency is used to gain the stability by forming the nearest stable configuration.	Covalency is used to complete the octate rule for an atom.