How many bonds can a hydrogen atom form?

A hydrogen atom can form a single covalent bond because it has one electron in its outer shell and needs one more electron to achieve a stable electron configuration similar to that of the nearest noble gas, helium. When two hydrogen atoms come together, they can share their electrons, creating a single bond. This sharing allows each hydrogen atom to have two electrons, thus achieving stability.

Hydrogen’s capability to form only a single bond stems from its position in the periodic table; it is the simplest element and consists of just one proton and one electron. It cannot form double or triple bonds as these require more electrons than hydrogen possesses. Additionally, having two single covalent bonds would mean that hydrogen would need to accommodate a total of four shared electrons, which it cannot do due to its limitations in accommodating electrons in its only electron shell. Therefore, a hydrogen atom primarily forms one single covalent bond.