Question #e7d14
1 Answer
Oct 11, 2017
An ionic bond exists between Mg and O in MgO.
Explanation:
As a very general rule, if a metal, like magnesium, is bonded to a nonmetal, like oxygen, the two will form an ionic bond.
In an ionic bond, one or more atoms lose electrons and gain a positive charge. These are called cations. One or more atoms pick up electrons and gain a negative charge. These are called anions.
One or more cations form ionic bonds with one or more anions in a way that their respective positive and negative charges cancel.
O is -2 (gains 2 electrons) and Mg is +2 (loses 2 electrons), so their charges cancel.
