To determine which two elements are most likely to form covalent bonds, we can look at their positions in the periodic table. Covalent bonding typically occurs between nonmetals or between a nonmetal and a metalloid.
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A. nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O): Both are nonmetals located in the upper right part of the periodic table. They are likely to form covalent bonds with each other.
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B. magnesium (Mg) and sulfur (S): Magnesium is a metal and sulfur is a nonmetal. This pairing is more likely to result in ionic bonding rather than covalent.
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C. potassium (K) and iodine (I): Potassium is a metal, while iodine is a nonmetal. This combination is also more likely to result in ionic bonding.
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D. sodium (Na) and bromine (Br): Sodium is a metal and bromine is a nonmetal. Like the previous pairs involving metals and nonmetals, this is likely to lead to ionic bonding rather than covalent.
Based on these analyses, the most likely pair to form covalent bonds is:
A. nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O).