Question

Arrange in decreasing order of strength: Covalent-ionic-metallic bonds. Intuitive reasons are welcome?

Answer 1

see below

Explanation:

You can generally value the strength of the bonds by the melting temperature of the substance because a substance melts when the kinetic energy gived by the temperature with the motion of the atoms, overcomes the force of the bond.
Is is quite easy compare the metals among them: sodium has a low melting point and a small bond force, iron that melts at 1537 °C has an hight bond force.

So, many ionic oxydes (as `CaO, Al_2O_3, MgO`are heat refractory materials and melt over 2000°C
but perhaps the strongest bonds are the covalent ones that with the Diamond whose melting point about 4000°C is probably the most stable substance
Generally the bonds in a molecula (metals, ionic or covalent compounds) is given by several atoms so is non easy compare the single force.
You must not to confuse the covalent bond with the molecular bonds of molecular substances as water, alogenis or the organic substances where the melting is due to the break of intermolecular forces