Final answer:
The formation of a covalent bond involves the sharing of electrons. It contrasts with ionic bonding, where electrons are transferred between atoms, leading to the formation of oppositely charged ions that attract each other.
Step-by-step explanation:
The formation of a covalent bond involves the sharing of electrons between atoms, as opposed to the transfer of electrons that characterizes ionic bonds. In a covalent bond, the electrons are attracted by the nuclei of both atoms and occupy a space between them, which leads to a stable electronic configuration. This is the most common type of chemical bonding and was first described by G.N. Lewis in 1916. It is important to note that the electrons are shared equally in a pure covalent bond and unequally in a polar covalent bond, depending on the difference in the atoms' electronegativities. On the other hand, ionic bonds form when the metal loses an electron to become a cation, and the nonmetal gains this electron to become an anion, which results in an electrostatic attraction between the oppositely charged ions.