What type of bond typically forms between metals and nonmetals?

An ionic bond typically forms between metals and nonmetals due to the transfer of electrons from the metal to the nonmetal. Metals, which are characterized by having few electrons in their outer shell, tend to lose these electrons, becoming positively charged ions (cations). Nonmetals, on the other hand, have more electrons in their outer shell and require additional electrons to achieve a stable electronic configuration, leading them to gain electrons and become negatively charged ions (anions).

The electrostatic attraction between the positively charged cations and negatively charged anions results in the formation of a strong ionic bond. This bond is characterized by its high melting and boiling points, as well as its ability to conduct electricity when dissolved in water, due to the mobility of the ions.

In contrast, covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between nonmetals rather than the transfer that occurs in ionic bonding. Metallic bonds, which occur between metal atoms, involve the pooling of electrons that allows for conductivity and malleability in metals. Hydrogen bonds are weak attractions that occur between hydrogen and electronegative atoms, and are not relevant in the context of bonds between metals and nonmetals. Thus, the formation of ionic bonds is distinctly characteristic of the interaction between metals and non