Which of the following must happen in order for atoms to bond either ionically or covalently with one another?

Question

A) The valence shells of all atoms must be filled after the bonding occurs.
B) The chemical properties of the atoms must be satisfied.
C) The ions must have different charges.
D) The resulting compound must follow ionic naming conventions.

Answer 1

For atoms to bond either ionically or covalently with one another, the statement that must happen among the options given is:

A) The valence shells of all atoms must be filled after the bonding occurs.

In ionic bonding, atoms transfer electrons to achieve a full valence shell (usually satisfying the octet rule), while in covalent bonding, atoms share electrons to achieve full valence shells. The other options may describe aspects of the bonding process or naming conventions but do not constitute a requirement for bonding itself.