Final answer:
Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between atoms, while ionic bonds involve the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, creating positively and negatively charged ions that are attracted to each other.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between covalent bonds and ionic bonds lies in the way they handle electron distribution between atoms. In a covalent bond, electrons are shared between two atoms, allowing each to fill its valence shell through this sharing. Ionic bonds, on the other hand, involve the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, creating ions: a positively charged cation and a negatively charged anion, which then attract each other due to electrostatic forces.
For example, when a covalent bond forms between two chlorine atoms (Cl2), they share the electrons equally. However, in the case of an ionic bond, such as in sodium chloride (NaCl), the sodium atom transfers an electron to the chlorine atom, resulting in Na+ and Cl- ions that are attracted to each other.