Ionic Bonding

• What happens to a metal atom when it reacts with a non-metal atom in ionic bonding?

  The metal atom loses electrons to form a positively charged ion (cation)
• What does a non-metal atom do when it reacts with a metal atom in ionic bonding?

  The non-metal atom gains electrons to form a negatively charged ion (anion)
• What is the nature of the attraction between oppositely charged ions in ionic bonding?

  It is called an ionic bond and is due to electrostatic forces
• What do dot and cross diagrams represent in ionic bonding?

  The arrangement of electrons in an atom or ion
• How are electrons represented in dot and cross diagrams?

  Each electron is represented by a dot or a cross
• In the formation of sodium chloride (NaCl), what happens to the sodium atom?

  The sodium atom gives up its outer electron, becoming a Na⁺ ion
• In the formation of sodium chloride (NaCl), what happens to the chlorine atom?

  The chlorine atom picks up the electron, becoming a Cl⁻ ion
• In the formation of magnesium oxide (MgO), what happens to the magnesium atom?

  The magnesium atom gives up its two outer electrons, becoming an Mg²⁺ ion
• In the formation of magnesium oxide (MgO), what happens to the oxygen atom?

  The oxygen atom picks up the two electrons, becoming an O²⁻ ion
• In the formation of magnesium chloride (MgCl₂), how many chlorine atoms are involved?

  Two chlorine atoms pick up one electron each, becoming two Cl⁻ ions
• In the formation of sodium oxide (Na₂O), how many sodium atoms are involved?

  Two sodium atoms each give up their single outer electron, becoming two Na⁺ ions
• What do dot and cross diagrams not show about ionic compounds?

  They do not show the actual structure of the compound, the size of the ions, or how they’re arranged
• How are ionic compounds formed using sodium and chlorine?

  • Sodium loses one electron to become Na⁺
  • Chlorine gains one electron to become Cl⁻
  • The oppositely charged ions attract each other, forming NaCl
• How are ionic compounds formed using magnesium and oxygen?

  • Magnesium loses two electrons to become Mg²⁺
  • Oxygen gains two electrons to become O²⁻
  • The oppositely charged ions attract each other, forming MgO
• How are ionic compounds formed using magnesium and chlorine?

  • Magnesium loses two electrons to become Mg²⁺
  • Each chlorine atom gains one electron to become Cl⁻
  • The oppositely charged ions attract each other, forming MgCl₂
• How are ionic compounds formed using sodium and oxygen?

  • Two sodium atoms lose one electron each to become two Na⁺
  • One oxygen atom gains two electrons to become O²⁻
  • The oppositely charged ions attract each other, forming Na₂O
• What is the chemical formula for sodium chloride?

  NaCl
• What is the chemical formula for magnesium oxide?

  MgO
• What is the chemical formula for magnesium chloride?

  MgCl₂
• What is the chemical formula for sodium oxide?

  Na₂O
• What is the significance of practicing with dot and cross diagrams?

  It helps in understanding how ionic compounds are formed
• Chlorine gains electrons


  Chlorine gains one electron to become Cl⁻
• Magnesium loses electrons


  Magnesium loses two electrons to become Mg²⁺
• Oppositely charged ions attract each other


  Oppositely charged Mg²⁺ and Cl⁻ ions attract each other to form a strong ionic bond
• Formation of MgCl₂


  Mg²⁺ and Cl⁻ ions form an ionic compound, MgCl₂ (magnesium chloride)