Ionic bonding

• Ions are formed when atoms lose or gain electrons
• Ions are charged particles; they can be single atoms or groups of atoms`
• When atoms lose/gain electrons, they are trying to form a stable electronic structure
• When metals form ions, they lose electrons to form positive ions
• When non-metals form ions, they gain electrons to form negative ions
• The number of electrons lost or gained is the same as the charge on the ion
• The elements that most readily form ions are those in groups 1, 2, 6 and 7
• Groups 1 + 2 elements are metals ( They lose electrons to form cations )
• Groups 6 + 7 elements are non-metals ( They gain electrons to form anions )
• Cations - Positive ions

  Anions - Negative ions
• Elements in the same group all have the same number of outer electrons
• As you go down each group, the number of electrons in the outer shell increases - the outer electrons get further from the nucleus
• Groups 1 + 2 -> it gets easier to remove outer electrons to form ions - the elements get more reactive as you go down the groups
• Groups 6 + 7 -> it gets harder for the nucleus to attract extra electrons to form ions
• Ions with opposite charges form ionic bonds
• What happens when a metal and a non metal react together?

  The metal can lose electrons to form a +ve charged ion and the non-mental can gain electrons to form a -ve charged ion
• After forming the oppositely charged ions, they are then strongly attracted to one another by electrostatic forces and form an ionic bond
• To find the formula of an ionic compound, you balance the +ve and -ve charges