Why we were able to float a paper clip on the surface of water What type of bonds were present that allowed this to happen?

Answer 1

The reason that your paperclip was able to float on water, was due to the upthrust (The force that acts upwards due to water pressure) being greater than the weight of the weight (the downwards force due to mass x gravity) . The paper clip is less dense than water, and therefore will float.

Answer 2

The metal or plastic paperclip is not truly floating, it is resting on the surface tension of the water, which is a sort of skin on the surface of the water. It is this surface tension that allows pond skaters (insects) to move across the surface of a pond without sinking.
A common school experiment is to place a paper towel on the surface of a bowl of water, and place a paperclip on the middle of the paper towel. When the paper towel eventually sinks, the paperclip should appear to be floating! Add a single drop of washing-up liquid and the paperclip will sink, as the washing-up liquid has destroyed the water's surface tension.