Nursing Entrance Exam Practice Test 2025 – Complete Prep Resource

The correct choice is based on the nature of ionic bonds, which involve the transfer of electrons between atoms. In an ionic bond, one atom donates one or more of its electrons to another atom, resulting in the formation of positively and negatively charged ions. This transfer of electrons typically occurs between metals and non-metals. The metal, which has few electrons in its outer shell, tends to lose electrons and become a positively charged ion (cation), while the non-metal, which has more electrons, gains those electrons to become negatively charged (anion). The resulting electrostatic attraction between the oppositely charged ions holds them together, forming the ionic bond.

In contrast, covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between two atoms rather than transferring them. Metallic bonds are characterized by a "sea of electrons" shared among a lattice of metal atoms, allowing them to conduct electricity and heat. Hydrogen bonds are weaker interactions that occur between molecules rather than between individual atoms, typically involving hydrogen and electronegative atoms like oxygen or nitrogen. Understanding these distinctions is key to grasping the different types of chemical bonding.