Ionic vs Covalent Bonding

Classify bonds by electronegativity difference. Visualize electron transfer vs sharing.

Sodium Chloride

NaCl

ionic
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Concepts

Bond Types Overview

Chemical bonds form when atoms share or transfer electrons. The type of bond depends on the electronegativity difference between the atoms.

Property
Ionic
Polar Cov.
Nonpolar Cov.
EN diff
> 1.7
0.4 - 1.7
< 0.4
Electrons
Transfer
Unequal sharing
Equal sharing
Examples
NaCl, MgO
H2O, HF
H2, CH4

Key Rule

Bonding is a spectrum, not three discrete categories. The EN difference thresholds (0.4 and 1.7) are guidelines, not hard boundaries.

Sodium chloride (table salt) is the textbook example of an ionic compound. A metal (Na) bonds with a nonmetal (Cl) through electron transfer.

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About This Molecule

Sodium Chloride (NaCl)

IonicEN diff = 2.23

Classic ionic bond with large EN difference