A chemical bond formed by the sharing of one or more pairs of electrons between atoms is known as which type of bond?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of basic chemical bonding. Different types of bonds, such as ionic, covalent, metallic and hydrogen bonds, arise from different ways in which atoms interact with electrons. The question focuses on the bond formed specifically by the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The bond in question is formed by sharing electrons between atoms.
• We assume neutral atoms initially that achieve stable configurations by sharing.
• Several possible bond types are listed: ionic, covalent, coordinate, metallic and hydrogen bonds.
• We use standard textbook definitions of each bond type.

Concept / Approach:
In covalent bonding, atoms share pairs of electrons so that each atom can attain a stable electron configuration, often an octet. This is different from ionic bonding, where electrons are transferred completely from one atom to another, forming ions. Coordinate bonds are a special case where both electrons in a shared pair come from one atom, but the bond is still fundamentally covalent. Metallic bonds involve a sea of delocalised electrons, and hydrogen bonds are weak intermolecular attractions. Therefore, the general term for a bond formed by sharing electron pairs is covalent bond.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Recall that in covalent bonding, two atoms contribute one electron each to form a shared pair, resulting in a covalent bond.2) Consider common examples like H2, Cl2 and H2O, where atoms share electrons to complete their valence shells.3) In ionic bonding, one atom loses electrons and another gains electrons, resulting in electrostatic attraction between ions, not sharing.4) Coordinate bonding involves sharing as well, but both electrons in the shared pair originate from the same atom; still, the bond is covalent in nature.5) Metallic bonding involves many atoms sharing a pool of delocalised electrons throughout the metal lattice rather than localised pairs between two specific atoms.6) Hydrogen bonding is an intermolecular attraction between a hydrogen atom and a more electronegative atom, not a primary bond formed by sharing electrons.7) Therefore, the basic bond formed by sharing electron pairs between atoms is called a covalent bond.

Verification / Alternative check:
Lewis structures and valence bond theory both describe covalent bonds as shared electron pairs between specific atoms. For example, in methane (CH4), each C–H bond is a covalent bond formed by a shared pair of electrons. This concept is reinforced by many introductory chemistry texts, which define covalent bonding exactly as electron sharing between atoms. No other bond type fits the simple description in the stem as clearly as covalent bonding.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Ionic bond: Formed by complete transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in ions held together by electrostatic forces, not by sharing pairs.
Coordinate (dative) bond: A special case of covalent bond where the shared pair comes from one atom, but the general term the question seeks is covalent bond.
Metallic bond: Involves a lattice of positive metal ions and a sea of delocalised electrons, rather than discrete shared pairs between two atoms.
Hydrogen bond: A weak intermolecular attraction between an H atom bonded to a highly electronegative atom and a lone pair on another electronegative atom; not a primary sharing bond.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes choose coordinate bond because it is also described using shared electrons, but the question does not mention that the pair comes from the same atom. It simply says that electrons are shared between atoms, which is the general definition of a covalent bond. To avoid confusion, remember that coordinate bonds are a subtype of covalent bonds, and unless the question specifically highlights donation from one atom, the general term covalent bond is expected.

Final Answer:
A bond formed by sharing pairs of electrons between atoms is called a covalent bond.