Question

When two atoms collide, what determines whether they will react by transferring electrons or by sharing electrons?

Answer 1

If it is an ionic bond (metal with nonmetal) the electrons will be transferred. If it is a covalent bond (nonmetal with nonmetal) the electrons will be shared. It depends on the electronegativities; the closer the electronegativities of the two atoms, the more covalent the bond is, making the electrons more equally shared. But if the electronegativities are very different, one atom (the nonmetal) will pull the electrons from the other (the metal).

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

The covalent bond is the chemical bond between atoms where electrons are shared, forming a molecule. Covalent bonds are established between non-metallic elements, such as hydrogen H, oxygen O and chlorine Cl. These elements have many electrons in their outermost level (valence electrons) and have a tendency to gain electrons to acquire the stability of the electronic structure of noble gas.

An ionic bond is produced between metallic and non-metallic atoms, where electrons are completely transferred from one atom to another. During this process, one atom loses electrons and another one gains them, forming ions. Usually, the metal gives up its electrons forming a cation to the nonmetal element, which forms an anion.

So, a way to determine the type of bond will be knowing if the atoms are metallic or non-metallic.