Water (H2O) is an example of which type of chemical bond?

Water (H2O) is indeed an example of a covalent bond. In a covalent bond, atoms share pairs of electrons in order to achieve a stable electron configuration, similar to that of noble gases. In the case of water, each hydrogen atom shares an electron with the oxygen atom, resulting in a stable molecule. This sharing of electrons helps to create the polar nature of water, which is crucial for many of its unique properties, such as its ability to dissolve various substances and its high surface tension.

Covalent bonding is characterized by the formation of strong bonds that hold the atoms together within the molecule. This is different from metallic bonds, where electrons are shared across a lattice of metal ions, and ionic bonds, which involve the transfer of electrons from one atom to another leading to electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions. While hydrogen bonds do occur in water, they are much weaker interactions that take place between molecules rather than within the water molecule itself. Thus, the presence of covalent bonds in water is crucial to its chemical structure and the properties that arise from it.