Why is hydrogen bonding only possible with hydrogen? hydrogen tends to form covalent bonds. hydrogen is the only atom that is the same size as an oxygen atom. hydrogen is the most electronegative element. hydrogen’s nucleus is electron deficient when it bonds with an electronegative atom.

Hydrogen’s nucleus is electron deficient when it bonds with an electronegative atom.

Explanation:

Hydrogen bonding is only possible with hydrogen since Hydrogen’s nucleus is electron deficient when it bonds with an electronegative atom.

Hydrogen's nucleus has deficiency in electron when it gets bonded with electronegative atom.

Hydrogen bonds with more electronegative atoms and form hydrogen bond. The hydrogen bond is "weaker" than the covalent bond or ionic bond but stronger than Vander Waals force.

Hydrogen mainly bonds with atoms like oxygen, fluorine and nitrogen. It found to be both intermolecular and intramolecular depending upon the nature of donor and acceptor atom and other physical conditions of reaction. The hydrogen bonding example is water; ; and DNA and RNA.