Which of the following statements correctly describes a key difference between covalent and ionic bonds?

• A. Covalent bonds form only between metals, while ionic bonds form only between nonmetals.
• B. Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between atoms, while ionic bonds involve the transfer of electrons from one atom to another.
• C. Ionic bonds result in molecules with definite shapes, while covalent bonds do not.
• D. Covalent bonds produce charged ions, while ionic bonds produce neutral molecules.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the nature of covalent bonds. Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between atoms, typically between nonmetals, to achieve a full outer electron shell.
2. Step 2: Understand the nature of ionic bonds. Ionic bonds involve the transfer of electrons from one atom (usually a metal) to another atom (usually a nonmetal), resulting in the formation of positively and negatively charged ions.
3. Step 3: Compare the bonding types. Covalent bonds share electrons to form molecules, while ionic bonds transfer electrons to form ionic compounds composed of ions held together by electrostatic forces.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the given statements based on these definitions. For example, covalent bonds do not form only between metals, and ionic bonds do not produce neutral molecules but rather charged ions.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct key difference is that covalent bonds involve sharing electrons, whereas ionic bonds involve transferring electrons from one atom to another.