Which type of bond is formed by the complete transfer of electrons between atoms?

• A. Covalent bond
• B. Metallic bond
• C. Polar covalent bond
• D. Ionic bond

Answer: (D)

The type of bond formed by the complete transfer of electrons between atoms is an ionic bond. In this bonding process, one atom donates one or more of its electrons to another atom, resulting in the formation of charged ions. The atom that loses electrons becomes a positively charged ion (cation), while the atom that gains electrons becomes a negatively charged ion (anion). The electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions holds them together in an ionic compound.

This mechanism typically occurs between metals and nonmetals, where metals have lower electronegativity and can easily lose electrons, while nonmetals have higher electronegativity and can gain electrons. This fundamental concept in chemistry highlights the nature of ionic bonds as resulting from the complete transfer and subsequent attraction between charged entities, contrasting with covalent bonds where atoms share electrons and metallic bonds characterized by a "sea" of delocalized electrons among metal atoms.