Which type of bond involves the transfer of electrons between atoms?

The type of bond that involves the transfer of electrons between atoms is the ionic bond. In this bond formation, one atom donates one or more of its electrons to another atom. This electron transfer results in the formation of charged ions: the atom that loses electrons becomes positively charged (a cation), while the atom that gains those electrons becomes negatively charged (an anion). The electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions creates a strong ionic bond.

This transfer mechanism is key to understanding ionic bonding, as it distinguishes it from other types of bonds. For instance, covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between atoms rather than their transfer, while metallic bonds consist of a "sea of electrons" that are shared among a lattice of metal cations. Hydrogen bonds, on the other hand, are weak interactions that occur due to polar covalent bonds and the attraction of partially positive hydrogen atoms to electronegative atoms. In contrast, ionic bonds are characterized by their strength due to the complete transfer and resultant charge difference between the involved atoms.