IONIC BONDS

ionic bond, also called electrovalent bond, type of linkage formed from the electrostatic attraction
between oppositely charged ions in a chemical compound. Such a bond forms when the valence
(outermost) electrons of one atom are transferred permanently to another atom. The atom that
loses the electrons becomes a positively charged ion (cation), while the one that gains them
becomes a negatively charged ion (anion). A brief treatment of ionic bonds follows. For full
treatment, see chemical bonding: The formation of ionic bonds.

Ionic bonding results in compounds known as ionic, or electrovalent, compounds, which are best
exemplified by the compounds formed between nonmetals and the alkali and alkaline-earth metals.
In ionic crystalline solids of this kind, the electrostatic forces of attraction between opposite charges
and repulsion between similar charges orient the ions in such a manner that every positive ion
becomes surrounded by negative ions and vice versa. In short, the ions are so arranged that the
positive and negative charges alternate and balance one another, the overall charge of the entire
substance being zero. The magnitude of the electrostatic forces in ionic crystals is considerable.
Accordingly, these substances tend to be hard and nonvolatile.

Figure 1: Unit cells for face-centred and body-centred cubic lattices.

crystal: Ionic bonds

Sodium chloride exhibits ionic bonding. The sodium atom has a single electron in its outermost shell,
while chlorine needs...

An ionic bond is actually the extreme case of a polar covalent bond, the latter resulting from unequal
sharing of electrons rather than complete electron transfer. Ionic bonds typically form when the
difference in the electronegativities of the two atoms is great, while covalent bonds form when the
electronegativities are similar. Compare to covalent bond

Related Topics: carbanion carbonium ion ionization hydrogen ion heavy ion

ion, any atom or group of atoms that bears one or more positive or negative electrical charges.
Positively charged ions are called cations; negatively charged ions, anions. Ions are formed by the
addition of electrons to, or the removal of electrons from, neutral atoms or molecules or other ions;
by combination of ions with other particles; or by rupture of a covalent bond between two atoms in
such a way that both of the electrons of the bond are left in association with one of the formerly
bonded atoms. Examples of these processes include the reaction of a sodium atom with a chlorine
atom to form a sodium cation and a chloride anion; the addition of a hydrogen cation to an
ammonia molecule to form an ammonium cation; and the dissociation of a water molecule to form a
hydrogen cation and a hydroxide anion.

Many crystalline substances are composed of ions held in regular geometric patterns by the
attraction of the oppositely charged particles for each other. Ions migrate under the influence of an
electrical field and are the conductors of electric current in electrolytic cells