What type of bonding predominates in inorganic compounds?

In inorganic compounds, ionic bonding predominates due to the types of elements typically involved. Inorganic compounds often consist of metals and non-metals, which tend to form ionic bonds through the transfer of electrons. In this type of bonding, a metal atom donates one or more of its electrons to a non-metal atom, resulting in the formation of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions. These oppositely charged ions are then held together by strong electrostatic forces, creating stable ionic compounds.

This characteristic is particularly prominent in salts, oxides, and other inorganic materials, which exhibit high melting and boiling points as well as electrical conductivity when dissolved in water or melted. The predominance of ionic bonding in inorganic chemistry distinguishes it from organic chemistry, where covalent bonding is more common due to the presence of carbon and smaller, more electronegative atoms.

Covalent bonds, while present in some inorganic compounds, particularly those with non-metals, do not dominate the field as significantly as ionic bonds do in the majority of inorganic contexts. Hydrogen bonding is a weaker intermolecular force and is more relevant in organic compounds and in connections between molecules rather than in the bonding of the molecules themselves. Metallic bonds are specific to metals and their alloys and do