The bonding between a metal and nonmetal can be ionic or covalent, depending on the electronegativity difference between the two atoms. If the electronegativity difference is large, typically greater than 1.7, then the bonding is considered ionic. This means that electrons are transferred from the metal atom to the nonmetal atom, resulting in the formation of positive and negative ions that are held together by electrostatic attractions. On the other hand, if the electronegativity difference is small, typically less than 1.7, then the bonding is considered covalent. In this case, the atoms share electrons in order to achieve a stable electron configuration.
