Tell an ionic bond from a covalent bond by looking at the elements involved.
Rank single, double, triple, and hydrogen bonds by relative strength.
Predict whether a compound will dissolve in water from its bond type.
What the lesson concludes
Ionic bonds form between a metal and a nonmetal by electron transfer, not sharing.
Covalent bonds form between two nonmetals by sharing electron pairs.
Among covalent bonds, a triple bond is the strongest and a single bond the weakest, since more shared electron pairs pull the atoms into a shorter, tighter bond.
Hydrogen bonds are not true bonds. They are a strong intermolecular force between molecules, weaker than any covalent or ionic bond.
Bond type predicts behaviour: ionic compounds tend to dissolve in water and conduct electricity in solution, most covalent compounds do not.