how do the nuclei of covalently bonded atoms help keep the bond together?; which element is least likely to form chemical bonds?; which is the only element in group 1 on the periodic table that forms covalent bonds?; the bonding between metal atoms is strong. this helps explain why most metals are; what causes an ionic bond to form between sodium and chlorine?; which of the following is not a characteristic of ionic compounds; what is a limitation of using a chemical formula, such as c6h12o6, to represent a compound?; which type of reaction is mg + s → mgs? polymerization synthesis replacement decomposition