What type of bond is formed through the sharing of electrons between two atoms?

The type of bond formed through the sharing of electrons between two atoms is known as a covalent bond. In a covalent bond, atoms achieve stability by each contributing an electron to form a shared pair. This sharing of electrons allows each atom to attain a full outer shell, which is energetically favorable.

Covalent bonds typically occur between nonmetals, which have similar electronegativities and thus a tendency to share electrons rather than transferring them completely, as seen in ionic bonds. This results in molecules that can have distinct shapes and properties, depending on the number of shared pairs and the arrangement of the atoms.

In contrast, ionic bonds involve the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, creating charged ions that attract each other. Metallic bonds consist of a 'sea' of delocalized electrons around metal atoms, which allows for properties such as electrical conductivity and malleability. Hydrogen bonds are weaker attractions that occur between molecules, particularly involving hydrogen atoms bonded to electronegative atoms like nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine, rather than between atoms as a bond type.