Which term describes the force that holds atoms together in a bonded unit?

Which term describes the force that holds atoms together in a bonded unit?

• A. Covalent bond
• B. Valence
• C. Chemical bond
• D. Ionic bond

Answer: (C)

The force that holds atoms together in a bonded unit is a chemical bond. This attraction arises from how electrons interact between atoms, either by sharing electrons in covalent bonds or by transferring electrons to create oppositely charged ions that attract in ionic bonds. Covalent and ionic bonds are specific ways that chemical bonds form, while valence refers to the outer-shell electrons and an atom’s bonding capacity, not the force itself. So the general term for the force binding atoms in a molecule is chemical bond.

The force that holds atoms together in a bonded unit is a chemical bond. This attraction arises from how electrons interact between atoms, either by sharing electrons in covalent bonds or by transferring electrons to create oppositely charged ions that attract in ionic bonds. Covalent and ionic bonds are specific ways that chemical bonds form, while valence refers to the outer-shell electrons and an atom’s bonding capacity, not the force itself. So the general term for the force binding atoms in a molecule is chemical bond.