How can you figure out if a bond is ionic or covalent?

Answer 1

The difference in electronegativity between the atoms that are bonded. A difference of more than about 1.7 indicates that the bond will be ionic. Health warning - this is only a rule of thumb.

Answer 2

An ionic bond forms between a metal and a nonmetal due to the transfer of electrons, resulting in the formation of ions. A covalent bond forms between two nonmetals by sharing electrons. To determine if a bond is ionic or covalent, you can look at the electronegativity difference between the atoms involved: a large difference indicates ionic bonding, while a small difference indicates covalent bonding.