In each drawing, there are lines between each atom and each molecule. What do you think the lines between atoms represent? The lines between molecules?

Atoms are the smallest units of matter that still retain the fundamental chemical properties of an element. Much of the study of chemistry, however, involves looking at what happens when atoms combine with other atoms to form compounds. A compound is a distinct group of atoms held together by chemical bonds. Just as the structure of the atom is held together by the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged nucleus and the negatively charged electrons surrounding it, the stability within chemical bonds is also due to electrostatic attractions. To illustrate further, consider the two major types of chemical bonds: covalent bonds and ionic bonds. In covalent bonds, two atoms share pairs of electrons, while in ionic bonds, electrons are fully transferred between two atoms so that ions are formed. Let’s consider both types of bonds in detail.

Explanation: