What type of bond occurs between a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to N, O, or F and another electronegative atom?

The correct answer is a hydrogen bond, which is a type of intermolecular attraction that occurs specifically between a hydrogen atom that is covalently bonded to a highly electronegative atom—such as nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), or fluorine (F)—and another electronegative atom.

The key characteristic of a hydrogen bond is that it involves a hydrogen atom that has a partial positive charge due to its bonding with an electronegative atom, which pulls electron density away from hydrogen. This creates a strong attraction towards another electronegative atom, leading to the formation of the hydrogen bond. These bonds play critical roles in various biological processes, including the structure of water and the configuration of proteins and nucleic acids.

Other types of bonds listed do not fit this description. Dative covalent bonds involve the donation of a pair of electrons from one atom to another, rather than the attractive interaction characteristic of hydrogen bonds. Metallic bonds pertain to the attraction between metal atoms and their delocalized electrons, which is quite different from the nature of hydrogen bonding. Non-polar covalent bonds are created when two atoms share electrons equally, resulting in no charge difference and thus cannot form hydrogen bonds with electronegative atoms.