Which quantity determines how two atoms bond?

Question

A. their total number of valence electrons
B. the sum of their electronegativities
C. the difference in their electronegativities
D. the difference in the number of valence electrons

Answer 1

The quantity that primarily determines how two atoms bond is:

C. the difference in their electronegativities

The difference in electronegativities indicates how strongly atoms attract electrons, which influences the type of bond they form (ionic, covalent, or metallic). A larger difference typically leads to ionic bonding, while a smaller difference may lead to covalent bonding.