Question

what is the difference between an ionic and a covalent bond?

Answer 1

Ionic Bonds:

Ionic bonds are bonds that are formed between two atoms, usually a metal and a non-metal through loosing or gaining an electron. The metal looses one or more electrons and the non-metal gains one or more electrons. What this does is it makes "ions" ions are atoms that are charged because they gained or lost an electron. These ions have a positive (for the metal) or negative (for the non-metal) charge and because of that they attract to each other and form the ionic bond.

Covalent Bonds:

Covalent bonds are usually between two non-metals. Covalent bonds involve atoms that SHARE electrons, these atoms do not loose or gain electrons but instead will share them to gain a full outer energy level. By sharing electrons each atom pulls on them and the atoms form a bond through the electron sharing known as the covalent bond.