Chemistry Basics

• Ionic bonds form between metal and non-metal atoms
• Ionic bonds form when metal atoms lose electrons and non-metal atoms gain electrons
• Compounds held together by ionic bonds are called salts
• Ionic bonds are very strong when the compound is dry
• Ionic bonds are easily broken in water. This is why many salts dissolve easily in water to form ions
• Cations are ions that possess a positive charge because they have more protons than electros. The metal atoms in a salt typically become cations
• Anions are ions that possess a negative charge because they have more electrons than protons
• Hydrogen bonds are fairly weak intermolecular attractions that occur between polar molecules
• Because of the high electronegativity of oxygen and the low electronegativity of hydrogen, the oxygen end of the water molecule has a slight negative charge, while the hydrogen end has a slight positive charge. This gives water its "bent" shape