Final answer:
Carbon and hydrogen atoms form a covalent bond due to the small difference in their electronegativity values, signifying shared electrons and the formation of a nonpolar covalent bond.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carbon and hydrogen atoms will most likely form a covalent bond, not an ionic bond. When these atoms bond, they share electrons rather than transfer them, which is characteristic of a covalent bond. Carbon has an electronegativity of 2.5, and hydrogen has an electronegativity of 2.1. The small difference (0.4) in their electronegativities indicates that they will share electrons relatively equally, forming a nonpolar covalent bond. Elements like carbon and hydrogen, which are close to each other on the periodic table and have similar electronegativity values, tend to form covalent bonds.
In contrast, ionic bonds generally occur between metals and non-metals that have a significant difference in electronegativity, resulting in the transfer of electrons from one atom to another. Since carbon and hydrogen do not exhibit a significant difference in electronegativity, they do not typically form ionic bonds, as illustrated by common molecules like methane (CH4), where carbon forms four covalent bonds with hydrogen atoms.