What type of bond is formed between two non-metals?

When two non-metals come together, they form a covalent bond. This type of bond is characterized by the sharing of electrons between the atoms involved. Non-metals typically have similar electronegativities, which means they attract electrons with roughly equal strength. As a result, rather than one atom completely transferring its electrons to another—as seen in ionic bonding—the non-metals share one or more pairs of electrons to achieve a stable electronic configuration (usually resembling that of the nearest noble gas).

Covalent bonding is crucial in the formation of many molecules, such as water, carbon dioxide, and various organic compounds. The sharing of electrons allows the participating atoms to fulfill their valence shell requirements, leading to increased stability of the molecules formed.

In contrast, other types of bonds, like ionic bonds, involve the transfer of electrons and typically occur between metals and non-metals, while metallic bonds involve the sharing of free electrons among a lattice of metal atoms. Hydrogen bonds are not a type of chemical bond in the traditional sense but rather an attractive force between a hydrogen atom, which is covalently bonded to an electronegative atom, and another electronegative atom. Thus, the nature of the bond formed between two non-metals specifically falls