ABSTRACT
Elementary valence theories invoke two principal bond types. In ionic bonding, electrostatic interactions generate bonds between ions formed by electron transfer from one element to the other. In covalent bonding two elements are held together by shared electrons in order that both may adopt an energetically favorable electron configuration. In reality, both are extreme forms of the same bonding phenomenon. Pure covalent bonds are formed by elements with identical electronegativities, with more ionic bonding character being introduced to the bond as the electronegativity difference between the elements increases (see Topic H4). Even in extreme cases of ionic bonding, the degree of covalent character may still be quite high.
