Which type of chemical bond is primarily responsible for holding the atoms together in the compound NO_2?

• A. Metallic bond
• B. Covalent bond
• C. Hydrogen bond
• D. Ionic bond

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the elements involved in the compound NO_2, which are nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O). Both are nonmetals.
2. Recall that bonds between nonmetal atoms are typically covalent bonds, where atoms share electrons to achieve stable electron configurations.
3. Understand that metallic bonds occur between metal atoms, ionic bonds form between metals and nonmetals through electron transfer, and hydrogen bonds are weak interactions between molecules, not bonds holding atoms within a molecule.
4. Since NO_2 consists of nonmetal atoms sharing electrons, the primary bond holding the atoms together is a covalent bond.
5. Therefore, the correct type of chemical bond responsible for holding the atoms in NO_2 together is the covalent bond.