Ionic Bonding

• What type of bond is formed when particles bond together through ionic bonds?


  Ionic bonds
• How are ions formed from atoms?

  Ions are formed when atoms lose or gain electrons
• What happens to a sodium atom to form a sodium ion?

  A sodium atom loses one electron to form a sodium one plus ion
• Why does a sodium atom need to lose an electron?

  To become stable by having a full outer shell
• What is the charge of a chloride ion formed from chlorine?

  One minus
• What is the significance of the square brackets around ions in ionic compounds?

  They indicate the ions have full outer shells of electrons
• What type of forces attract the two ions in an ionic compound?

  Electrostatic forces
• How does the strength of an ionic bond compare to a covalent bond?

  They are similar in strength
• What is a dot and cross diagram used for?

  To represent the bonding of electrons between atoms
• How do you differentiate between the electrons of two different atoms in a dot and cross diagram?

  By drawing the electrons of one atom as dots and the other as crosses
• What should you show to indicate the movement of electrons in a dot and cross diagram?

  With an arrow
• In a dot and cross diagram, what is sometimes only required to be drawn?

  The outermost shell of the atoms
• How do you draw the dot and cross diagram for magnesium chloride (MgCl₂)?

  • Draw magnesium with two outer electrons.
  • Draw two chlorine atoms, each with seven outer electrons.
  • Show the transfer of two electrons from magnesium to the two chlorines.
  • Represent magnesium as a Mg²⁺ ion and each chlorine as Cl^- ion.
  • Arrange the ions with chlorines on either side of magnesium.
• What happens to magnesium when it forms an ionic bond with chlorine?

  Magnesium loses two electrons to form a magnesium two plus ion
• How many chloride ions are formed when magnesium chloride is created?

  Two chloride ions
• Why do electrons generally move from metals to non-metals in ionic bonding?

  Because metals tend to lose electrons while non-metals tend to gain them
• How are the ions arranged in a dot and cross diagram involving more than two ions?

  They are arranged like they would be in a real compound
• What is the final arrangement of chloride ions in the dot and cross diagram for magnesium chloride?

  On either side of the magnesium ion