A material that accepts hydrogen ions in a chemical reaction. Compare with anion . A cation is a positively charged ion. Metals typically form cations. A chemical bond is a strong attraction between two or more atoms.
Bonds hold atoms in molecules and crystals together.
There are many types of chemical bonds, but all involve electrons which are either shared or transferred between the bonded atoms. Compare with covalent compound and ionic bond . A covalent bond is a very strong attraction between two or more atoms that are sharing their electrons. In structural formulas , covalent bonds are represented by a line drawn between the symbols of the bonded atoms. Compare with ionic bond and ionic compound .