Chemistry
Chemical Bonds
Quick fact
There are three primary types of chemical bonds: ionic, covalent, and metallic, each with distinct electron-sharing arrangements. This diversity is why carbon can form everything from life's DNA to industrial diamonds.
Why this is interesting
You hold a diamond and a piece of graphite—both are pure carbon, yet one is the hardest natural material and the other is soft enough to write with. What makes them so different? It all comes down to bonds.