If the boron nitride molecule (BN) were to form, which type of chemical bond would most likely exist between the boron and nitrogen atoms?

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

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the elements involved and their positions on the periodic table. Boron (B) is a metalloid in group 13, and nitrogen (N) is a nonmetal in group 15.
2. Step 2: Determine the electronegativity values of boron and nitrogen. Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons in a bond. Nitrogen has a higher electronegativity than boron, but the difference is moderate.
3. Step 3: Analyze the type of bond based on electronegativity difference. A large difference (usually > 1.7) suggests ionic bonding, a small difference suggests covalent bonding, and metallic bonding occurs between metal atoms.
4. Step 4: Since boron and nitrogen have a moderate electronegativity difference and both are nonmetals or metalloids, they tend to share electrons rather than transfer them completely, indicating a covalent bond.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the bond between boron and nitrogen in BN is most likely a covalent bond because they share electrons to achieve stable electron configurations.