Ionic Bonding

• Ionic bonding occurs between a metal and a non-metal
• the metal atom will lose electrons to form a positively charged ion
• the non-metal will gain electrons to form a negatively charged ion
• These oppositely charged ions are strongly attracted to each other by electrostatic forces. This makes an ionic bond.
• dot and cross diagrams show the arrangement of electrons in an atom or ion
• elements react in order to achieve a full outer shell of electrons, by doing this they achieve the electronic structure of a noble gas
• group 1 metals lose 1 electron forming a 1+ ion
• group 7 atoms gain 1 electron forming a 1- ion
• ionic compounds have a regular arrangement of ions. the ions alternate between positively charged metal ions and negatively charged non-metal ions. the pattern repeats and creates a large lattice structure
• ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points because lots of energy is needed to break the strong electrostatic forces of attraction between the oppositely charged ions
• when solid, an ionic compound cannot conduct electricity. this is because the ions cannot move or carry charge since they are locked in place by the strong electrostatic forces of attraction
• when dissolved or melted, an ionic compound can conduct electricity, this is because the strong electrostatic forces of attraction are now broken and the ions are free to move around and carry charge
• in an ionic compound, the ions form a closely packed regular lattice arrangement and there are very strong electrostatic forces of attraction between the oppositely charged ions, in all directions in the lattice.
• Ionic compounds dissolve in polar solvents, especially water. This occurs when the positive cation from the ionic solid is attracted to the negative end of the water molecule (oxygen) and the negative anion of the ionic solid is attracted to the positive end of the water molecule (hydrogen)