What type of bond involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms?

The correct answer is indeed covalent bond. A covalent bond is formed when two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons, allowing each atom to attain a more stable electronic configuration, often resembling that of the nearest noble gas. This sharing of electron pairs enables the atoms to fulfill their valence shell requirements, leading to molecular stability.

In covalent bonding, both atoms typically have similar electronegativities, which means they will share electrons more or less equally. This contrasts with other types of bonds. For instance, in an ionic bond, electrons are transferred from one atom to another, resulting in the formation of charged ions rather than sharing. Polar covalent bonds are a specific type of covalent bond where the sharing of electrons is unequal, leading to partial charges, but they still fundamentally involve sharing electron pairs. Metallic bonds, on the other hand, involve a sea of delocalized electrons that are not confined to individual atoms but are shared among many atoms in a metal lattice.

Understanding the nature of covalent bonds is fundamental to comprehending molecular formation and chemical reactivity in various substances.