IONIC BONDS

An ionic bond is formed by the complete transfer of some electrons from

one atom to another. The atom losing one or more electrons becomes a
cation, a positively charged ion. The atom gaining one or more electron
becomes an anion, a negatively charged ion. These ions attract each other.
In ionic bonds, the complete transfer of one or more electrons occurs
between the donor and acceptor elements. There are a few factors that
cause the formation of ionic bonds, one of them is the large differences in
electronegativity of atoms, Which attract other atoms for the transfer of
their electrons. This chemical interaction of electrons creates a strong
bonding between the atoms as compared to other types of bonds. Ionic
bonding results in compounds known as ionic, or electrocovalent,
compounds, Which are the 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
beteween opposite charges and repulsion between similar charges orient
the ions in such a manner that every positive ion becomes surrounded by
negative ions and vive versa. In resume, the ions are so arranged that the
positive and negative charges alternate amd balance one another, the
overall charge of the entire substance being zero. The magnitude of the
electrostatic forces in ionic crystals is considerable.

Ionic bonds usually occur between metal and nonmetal ions. For example,
sodium (na), a metal, and chloride (CI), a nonmetal, form an ionic bond to
make NaCI. Another example, in water (H2O) each hydrogen (h) and
oxygen (O) share a pair of electrons to make a molecule of two hydrogen
atoms single bonded to a single oxygen atom. Covalent bonds occur
between elements that are close together on the periodic table, Ionic
compounds tend o be brittle in their solid form and have every high
melting temperatures. Covalent compounds tend to be soft, and have
relatively low melting and boiling points. Water, a liquid composed of
covalently bonded molecules, can be also be used as a test substance for
other ionic and covalently compounds. Ionic compounds tend to dissolve
in water (e.g., hydrogen chloride, HCI), and sometimes do not (e.g.,
butane, c4h10).