How is covalent bonding characterized?

Covalent bonding is characterized by the sharing of one or more pairs of electrons between two atoms, typically nonmetals. This type of bonding allows the involved atoms to attain a more stable electronic configuration, often resembling that of noble gases, which have filled electron shells.

In a covalent bond, the electrons are shared in such a way that each atom can achieve a full valence shell. For example, in a molecule of water (H₂O), each hydrogen atom shares one electron with the oxygen atom. This shared electron pair helps to fulfill the octet rule for the oxygen atom while providing stability to the hydrogen atoms as well.

Covalent bonding differs fundamentally from ionic bonding, where electrons are transferred from one atom to another, leading to the formation of charged ions. Additionally, the magnetic attraction and other forces mentioned in different answer choices do not describe the fundamental nature of covalent bonds, which are specifically about electron sharing. Therefore, option B accurately captures the essence of covalent bonding.