非共价键并不依赖电子间的共享，而是依赖正负电荷间的吸引力，因此吸力较弱，故仅需较小的力量就可将之打断。非共价键主要出现于超分子化学中，所担任的角色为：维持脱氧核糖核酸（DNA，生命的起源物质）或蛋白质的三度空间外型及功能。它包含有氢键、疏水相互作用及范德华力等，一般数量级在1-5kcal/mol（约4-21kJ/mol）之间。

A non-covalent interaction differs from a covalent bond in that it does not involve the sharing of electrons, but rather involves more dispersed variations of electromagnetic interactions between molecules or within a molecule. The chemical energy released in the formation of non-covalent interactions is typically on the order of 1-5 kcal/mol (1000–5000 calories per 6.02 x 10^23 molecules). Non-covalent interactions can be generally classified into four categories, electrostatic, π-effects, van der Waals forces, and hydrophobic effects.