Ionic bonding

• There are 3 types of bonding

  • Ionic
  • Metallic
  • Covalent
• • Ionic bonds:
  • Takes place when metals and non-metals react by transferring electrons
  • The atoms involved are oppositely charged particles (known as ions) in which electron transfer occurs
  • The opposite charges attract through electrostatic forces
• Electrostatic forces 


  Strong forces of attraction between particles with opposite charges – such forces are involved in ionic bonding.
• • An ion is an electrically chargedatom or group of atoms formed by the loss or gain of electrons
• The ions produced by metals in groups 1,2,6,7 have the electronic structure of a noble gas
• • Negative ions are called anions and form when atoms gain electrons, meaning they have more electrons than protons
• • Negative ions are called anions and form when atoms gain electrons, meaning they have more electrons than protons
• • Positive ions are called cations and form when atoms lose electrons, meaning they have more protons than electrons
• • All metals lose electrons to other atoms to become positively charged ions
  • All non-metals gain electrons from other atoms to become negatively charged ions
• • The positive and negative charges are held together by the strong electrostatic forces of attractionbetween oppositely charged ions
  • This is what holds ionic compounds together
• Ionic bonding example

  • Sodium is a Group 1 metal so loses one outer electron to another atom to gain a full outer shell of electrons
  • A positive sodium ion with the charge 1+ is formed, Na+ 
  • Chlorine is a Group 7 non-metal so gains one electron to have a full outer shell of electrons
  • A negative chloride ion with a charge of 1- is formed, Cl –
  • The ions are then attracted to one another and held together by electrostatic forces
  • The formula of the ionic compound is thus NaCl