Chapter 7

Ionic Bonding
Formation of ions
• An ion is an electrically charged atom or group of atoms formed by the loss or gain of electrons.
• This loss or gain of electrons takes place to obtain a full outer shell of electrons.
• Positive ions are called cations and form when atoms lose electrons, meaning they have more protons
than electrons.
• All metals lose electrons to other atoms to become positively charged ions.
• Negative ions are called anions and form when atoms gain electrons, meaning they have more
electrons than protons.
• All non-metals gain electrons from other atoms to become negatively charged ions.
Ionic Bonding
• Ionic bonding is the strong electrostatic attraction between positive and negative ions.
Ionic compounds
• It is one that is held together by ionic bonding. E.g , NaCl
• They contain a metal combined with a non-metal except those containing ammonium ion such as
NH4Cl , (NH4)2SO4.
• When a non-metal such as chlorine combines with a metal such as sodium , the chlorine atom has a
stronger attraction for electrons than sodium atom and an electron is transferred from the outer
shell of the sodium atom to the outer shell of chlorine atom.
• There are lots of other compounds such as magnesium oxide , calcium fluoride and zinc bromide.
Formation of magnesium oxide

• Two electrons are transferred from a magnesium atom to an oxygen atom to form
𝑀𝑔2+ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑂2− .
• Ionic bond is often shown using dot and cross diagram.
 The significance of Noble gas electronic configuration in ionic
bonding
• For the first 20 elements , atoms lose or gain electrons so that they achieve a noble gas electronic
configuration.
• The elements in Groups 1 ,2 and 3 of the periodic table will lose their outer shell electrons to form
1+ , 2+ and 3+ ions , and the elements in Group 5 , 6 and 7 will gain electrons to form 3- , 2- and
1- ions .

• An aluminium atom loses its 3 electrons to A nitrogen atom gains 3 electrons to

form
form an Al3+ ion the nitride ion(N3-)
 Isoelectronic
• Isoelectronic means ‘have the same number of electrons’ . So , when sodium forms an ion(
electronic configuration [2.8] it becomes isoelectronic with neon [2.8].

• However , there are a lot of common ions that don’t have noble gas such as 𝐹𝑒 2+ ,
𝐹𝑒 3+ , 𝐶𝑢2+ , 𝑍𝑛2+ , 𝐴𝑔+ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑃𝑏2+ .
 Other examples of ionic compounds
• Ionic bonds are usually formed only if small numbers of electrons need to be transferred , typically
1or 2 , but occasionally 3.
Lithium fluoride
Calcium chloride
• The calcium atom [[Link]] has two electrons in its outer shell but each chlorine atom[2.8.7] only has
room in its outer shell to take one of them .
• You need two chlorines for every calcium.

• There will be very strong electrostatic attractions holding the ions together because of the 2+ charge on
the calcium ions
 Formula of ionic compounds
• Ions are formed when atoms or groups of atoms , lose or gain electrons .
• Compounds are electrically neutral and contains equal numbers of positive and negative ions.
• All metals form positive ions .
• The formulae of simple ionic compounds can be calculated if you know the charge on the ions .
• Below are some common ions and their charges .
• For ionic compounds you have to balance the charge of each part by multiplying each ion until the
sum of the charges = 0
• Just swap over the numbers in front of the charges ( same charge no need to swap )
• Example ,
Confusing ending ( -ide ,- ate)
• Any ‘-ide’ ending means that there isn’t anything complicated there .
• For example , copper (II) sulfide contains only Cu2+ and F –ions .

• Once you have an ‘ate’ ending , it means that there is oxygen ( and possibly other things ) there as
well, for example , copper(II) sulfate contains copper , sulfur and oxygen .
 Giant electronic structures
• All ionic compounds form crystals that consists of lattices of positive and negative ions packed
together in a regular way .
• A lattice is a regular array of particles. The lattice is held together by the strong electrostatic
attractions between the positively and negatively charged ions.
• The structure of sodium chloride is a giant ionic lattice.

• Magnesium oxide lattice is the same as NaCl except one difference that the magnesium oxide
lattice is held together by stronger forces of attraction than NaCl lattice , that’s why , magnesium
oxide, 2+ ions are attracting 2− ions . In sodium chloride , the electrostatic attractions are weaker
because they are only between 1+ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 1− ions.
A lattice fence
 Physical properties of ionic substances
• Ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points because of the strong electrostatic forces of
attraction holding the lattice together .
• A lot of energy is needed to break the electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged
ions in the lattice.
• They tend to be crystalline .
• They tend to be brittle because a small distortion makes the same charges of crystal alongside each
other and repel.

• They are usually solids at room temperature and are non-volatile.

• They tend to be soluble in water because the ions are easily hydrated by polar water molecules.
• They tend to be insoluble in organic solvents.
 Electricity conductivity of ionic substances
• For electrical current to flow there must be present freely moving charged particles such as
electrons or ions
• Ionic compounds don’t conduct electricity when they are solid because the ions are fixed in
position and are not free to move around.
• But they conduct electricity when are melted or if they are dissolved in water because the ions then
become free to move around.( ions that can move and carry charge )
 Chapter questions
• 1 ▶ a.(i) An atom or group of atoms which carries an electrical charge.
(ii )Attractions between positively and negatively charged ions holding them together.
• B. Correct electronic structures for:
(i) Na 2,8,1 and Cl 2,8,7
(ii) Li 2,1 and O 2,6
(iii) Mg 2,8,2 and F 2,7.
Diagrams (similar to those in the chapter) showing transfer of electrons, and the charges and
electronic structures of the ions formed (or words to the same effect).

In (i), show 1 electron transferred from Na to Cl leaving Na+ [2,8]+ and Cl– [2,8,8]
In (ii), show 2 lithium atoms each giving 1 electron to O leaving 2 × Li+ (2)+ and O2 – [2,8]2
In (iii), show 1 Mg giving an electron each to 2 fluorines leaving Mg2+ [2,8]2+ and 2 × F– [2,8]–
2.

3.
4.

5.(a) The electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged ions are strong and require a
lot of energy to break.
(b) The ions are held tightly in place in the giant lattice structure and are not free to move.
(c) The ions are free to move (it is important to use the word ions here; any mention of electrons
will score 0 in an exam)
6. Potassium chloride will have a lower melting point than calcium oxide.
The charges on the ions in KCl (K+ and Cl−) are lower than in CaO (Ca2+ and O2−).
There are weaker electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged ions in KCl than in
CaO; these forces require less energy to break than the forces in CaO.