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There are three primary types of chemical bonds that can occur between atoms.

1. Covalent Bond: A covalent bond is formed by sharing electrons between two or more atoms. In this type of bond, the involved atoms have similar electronegativity, meaning they have a similar pull on the shared electrons. A typical example of a covalent bond is the bond between two hydrogen atoms (H-H) to form a hydrogen molecule (H2). 2. Ionic Bond: An ionic bond occurs when one atom donates one or more electrons to another atom. This creates two ions with opposite charges, which are then attracted to each other. The bond between these oppositely charged ions is called an ionic bond. Ionic bonds usually occur between atoms with a significant difference in electronegativity (e.g., a metal and a non-metal). A common example is the bond between a sodium atom (Na) and a chlorine atom (Cl) to form sodium chloride (NaCl), more commonly known as table salt. 3. Metallic Bond: Metallic bonds are formed between atoms of metals. In this type of bonding, atoms share a "sea" of electrons—the valence electrons are free to move throughout the entire metal structure instead of being attached to a specific atom. Because of this electron-sharing, metals can conduct electricity and heat well, and they also tend to have high melting and boiling points. Examples include the bonding in copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and many other metals.