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

Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electron pairs between atoms. This type of bond typically occurs between nonmetals, where atoms have similar electronegativities and therefore a comparable ability to attract electrons. By sharing electrons, these atoms can achieve a full outer electron shell, leading to a more stable electronic configuration.

In a covalent bond, each shared pair of electrons includes one electron contributed by each atom, allowing both to benefit from the stability provided by their combined electron configuration. This is fundamental to the formation of molecules, where distinct arrangements of atoms result in various chemical compounds.

While the other types of bonds mentioned also play critical roles in chemical interactions, they do not involve the sharing of electron pairs in the same manner. For instance, ionic bonds involve the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, creating charged ions that attract each other. Metallic bonds involve a 'sea of electrons' that are free to move around a lattice of metal cations, but this is distinct from electron sharing as seen in covalent bonding. Polar covalent bonds, while involving shared electrons, have a significant difference in electronegativity between the bonded atoms, leading to uneven sharing and partial charges. Thus, covalent bonds uniquely define the sharing mechanism that is