Question

What is an ionic bond?

Answer 1

An ionic bond is the electrostatic force of attraction between two oppositely charged ions.

Explanation:

E.g., a sodium (`"Na"`) atom, with an electron arrangement of 2,8,1, loses an electron and forms a sodium ion (`"Na"^+`) to have a full valence shell (2,8).

Chlorine (`"Cl"`) has an electron arrangement of 2,8,7.

It gains an electron and forms a chloride ion (`"Cl"^"-"`) to have a full valence shell (2,8,8).

These two ions have an ionic bonding that consists of their electrostatic attraction for each other.

The rules of becoming an ion are:

• if an atom has 3 or fewer electrons in its valence shell, it will tend to lose electrons.
• if an atom has 5 or more electrons it its valence shell, it will tend to gain electrons.