A chemical bond is the physical force that holds atoms together to form molecules and larger structures. The formation of these connections generally results from the atoms' tendency to achieve a stable, low-energy electron configuration. Bonds are categorized into several types, including ionic bonds, which arise from the electrostatic attraction between fully charged ions created by the transfer of electrons; covalent bonds, which involve the sharing of valence electrons between atoms; and metallic bonds, which characterize the interaction between atoms in a crystalline lattice via a shared cloud of delocalized electrons. The strength and geometry of a compound's bonds determine its macroscopic physical properties, such as melting point, solubility, and electrical conductivity.