What type of bond involves the transfer of electrons from one atom to another?

The correct answer is the ionic bond, which is characterized by the transfer of electrons from one atom to another. This process typically occurs between metals and nonmetals. In this bond, the metal atom loses one or more electrons to become a positively charged ion, while the nonmetal atom gains those electrons to become a negatively charged ion. The resulting electrostatic attraction between the oppositely charged ions forms a strong bond, known as an ionic bond.

Understanding the nature of ionic bonding is crucial, as it explains many properties of ionic compounds, such as high melting and boiling points, as well as their ability to conduct electricity when dissolved in water. This transfer of electrons leads to the formation of stable electron configurations for both atoms involved.

Covalent bonds, on the other hand, involve the sharing of electrons between atoms, which does not result in a transfer. It typically occurs between nonmetals. Metallic bonds consist of a 'sea of electrons' that are delocalized over a lattice of metal cations, allowing for conductivity and malleability but also not involving electron transfer in the same way as ionic bonds. Hydrogen bonds are weak interactions that occur between a hydrogen atom bonded to a strongly electronegative atom and another electronegative atom,