Final answer:
Magnesium and fluorine are likely to form an ionic bond due to the significant difference in electronegativity, with magnesium forming a Mg2+ ion and fluorine forming an F- ion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question at hand asks whether magnesium and fluorine atoms will most likely form an ionic bond or a covalent bond. Given that magnesium is a metal with a tendency to lose electrons, and fluorine is a non-metal with a strong electronegativity, looking to gain electrons, it would more likely form an ionic bond. The reason for this is the considerable difference in electronegativity between the two elements which facilitates the transfer of electrons from magnesium to fluorine. In this case, magnesium would lose two electrons to form a positively charged ion (Mg2+), while fluorine would gain one electron to form a negatively charged ion (F-). The resultant attractive force between these oppositely charged ions results in the formation of the ionic compound magnesium fluoride (MgF2).