How can you describe the electron charge of an ionic compound?

1 Answer
anor277
Dec 5, 2015

By the charge of the ions involved in the bond.

Explanation:

Ionic compounds are of course electrically neutral, as is all matter. Ionic bonds are conceived to form by electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions. The classic ionic compound is sodium chloride, which is composed of #Na^+# and #Cl^-# ions in a close packed array (these are simple binary 1:1 salts).

Alkaline earth salts such as #MgBr_2# are formed from stoichiometric #Mg^(2+)# and #Br^-#; #Li_2O# from #Li^+# and #O^(2-)# ions. You have to recognize the individual charges in each salt, and this is a fairly trivial exercise if you can recognize their position on the Periodic Table. Group #1#, #2# metals give #+1#, #+2# ions etc. On the other side of the Periodic Table, halogens (Group 17) give #-1# ions; chalcogens (Group 16) #-2#.

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