What is the difference between an ionic bond and covalent?

Answer 1

Ionic bond: involve an electrostatic attraction between atoms.
Covalent bond: electrons are shared between atoms.

Answer 2

Covalent bonds are bonds between two atoms that are formed when the two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons. Ionic bonds are bonds between two atoms that are formed when one of the atoms loses one or more electrons to the other atom and both become electrically charged.

While these two types of bonds are generally taught as being two completely different things in high school, the reality is they are simply two ends of the spectrum of possible bonds between two atoms. At one end are completely equal covalent bonds (such as those seen in elemental diatomic oxygen) and at the other end are completely dissociative ionic bonds (such as that between sodium and chloride in table salt). In the middle are covalent bonds in which electrons are not equally shared. One example is water - each hydrogen shares a pair of electrons with the oxygen (one electron in each pair is from the hydrogen and the other is from the oxygen). However, the oxygen has more "pull" on the electrons (referred to as electronegativity), so the electrons spend more time around the oxygen than they do around the hydrogens. This gives a partial positive charge (called a dipole moment) to the hydrogens and a partial negative charge to the oxygen. Under some conditions, these covalent bonds can be pushed down the spectrum towards a more ionic-type bond.

Answer 3

An ionic bond is in between a metal and a nonmetal, and its Electronegativity difference is greater than 1.7. Ionic bonds are usually cyrstal, soluble and conduct electricity. A covalent bond is 2 or more nonmetals, and its electronegativity difference is less than 1.7. Covalent bonds are usually liquid or solids.

Answer 4

Ionic bond: involve an electrostatic attraction between atoms.
Covalent bond: electrons are shared between atoms.