Ionic bonds

• Ionic Bonding

  Occurs when an atom of an element loses one or more electrons and donates it to an atom of a different element.

  The atom that loses electrons becomes positively charged and the atom that gains an electron becomes negatively charged.
• Ions occur when an atom loses/gains an electron making it either positively/negatively charged.


  Negatively charged ion = Anion

  Positively charged ion = Cation
• Ionic bonds are held together by the opposite charges in them. This is called electrostatic attraction.
• Strength of electrostatic force is dependent on the strength of the ionic bond which is dependent on the ionic charge and ionic radii.


  • The more electrons a positive ion has, the more shells it will have and that means the ionic radius increases and the further the electrons are from the nuclues the weaker the electrostatic force.
  • The more electrons you gain/lose the higher the ionic charge, the stronger the electrostatic force