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Chemical bonding is the process by which atoms are held together in chemical compounds.
The three main types of chemical bonds are: Covalent bonds: Atoms share electrons to reach the octet state. This type of bonding often occurs between nonmetals from the right side of the periodic table. Ionic bonds: Form between ions with opposite charges, such as between a metal and a nonmetal. Ionic bonds are formed by the transfer of electrons between atoms/molecules. They are the basis for many materials, including plastics and glasses. Metallic bonds: Occur in metals, where electrons are shared among a lattice of atoms.
Other concepts of chemical bonding include: Hydrogen bonding: An electrostatic force of attraction between a hydrogen atom and an atom containing a lone pair of electrons in a chemical substance. Resonance: A structure with more resonance structure is more stable. Bond polarity: A feature of chemical bonds, where two different atoms in the same molecule have different electronegativity. Molecular orbital theory: A productive model of chemical bonding that is the basis of quantitative calculations, including those regarding the computer-generated images.
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