Final answer:
The difference between an ionic bond and a covalent bond is that in an ionic bond, electrons are transferred from one atom to another, whereas in a covalent bond, electrons are shared between atoms. Ionic bonds commonly occur between a metal and a nonmetal, while covalent bonds occur between two nonmetals. Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons and are generally stronger than ionic bonds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between an ionic bond and a covalent bond is that in an ionic bond, electrons are transferred from one atom to another, whereas in a covalent bond, electrons are shared between atoms. Ionic bonds commonly occur between a metal and a nonmetal, while covalent bonds occur between two nonmetals.
Electronegativity is another criteria to distinguish between ionic and covalent bonds. If the electronegativity difference between the bonded atoms is significant, the bond is ionic; whereas a smaller difference in electronegativity results in a covalent bond, which can be polar or nonpolar.
Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons and are generally stronger than ionic bonds.