Which type of bond is characterized by the sharing of electron pairs between atoms?

The sharing of electron pairs between atoms is a fundamental characteristic of covalent bonds. In this type of bonding, atoms achieve greater stability by sharing one or more pairs of electrons, effectively allowing them to fill their outer electron shells. This is particularly common in nonmetals, where the need to complete their electron configurations drives them to share electrons with other nonmetals.

Covalent bonds can result in the formation of molecules, which are distinct chemical entities with specific properties based on the types of atoms involved and the nature of the bonds. For instance, the sharing can be equal, resulting in nonpolar covalent bonds, or unequal, leading to polar covalent bonds, where one atom attracts the shared electrons more than the other.

The other types of bonds listed—ionic, metallic, and hydrogen bonds—do not involve the direct sharing of electron pairs in the same manner. Ionic bonds result from the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, creating charged ions that attract each other. Metallic bonds involve a "sea of electrons" that are delocalized and shared among many atoms, not in discrete pairs between two atoms. Hydrogen bonds are weak attractions between molecules or within a single molecule, primarily involving hydrogen atoms bonded to highly electronegative