General chemistryLesson 1 of 1 in the course Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry

Ionic Bonding, Ionic Formulas, and Electron Configurations of Ions

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

An ion is an atom or molecule with an electrical charge. A neutral atom forms a cation when it loses one or more electrons from its valence shell. It forms an anion when it gains one or more valence electrons. Because electrons carry negative charge, losing electrons produces a positive ion, while gaining electrons produces a negative ion.

An ionic bond is the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions. Compounds made of ions are called ionic compounds, or salts. A metal commonly loses electrons and becomes a cation, while a nonmetal gains electrons and becomes an anion. For example, sodium can form Na⁺ and chlorine can form Cl⁻; their attraction contributes to the formation of sodium chloride, NaCl.

All flashcards

What is a cation, and how does it form?
A cation is a positively charged ion. It forms when an atom or molecule loses one or more electrons.
What is an ionic bond?
It is the electrostatic force of attraction between oppositely charged cations and anions.
Why can molten or dissolved ionic compounds conduct electricity?
Their ions are free to move and carry electrical charge through the liquid or solution.
What information does an ionic formula provide?
It gives the simplest whole-number ratio of ions that makes the compound electrically neutral; it does not show the full crystal arrangement.
How do the ions balance in Al₂O₃?
Two Al³⁺ ions contribute +6 total charge, while three O²⁻ ions contribute −6, making the compound neutral.

Quiz questions

  1. What happens to an atom when it forms a cation?Answer: It loses one or more electrons and becomes positively charged.
  2. What is an ionic bond?Answer: The electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.
  3. Why is solid sodium chloride generally a poor conductor of electricity?Answer: Its ions are fixed in place and cannot move freely through the solid.
  4. What is the simplest ion ratio in aluminum oxide, Al₂O₃, and why?Answer: Two Al³⁺ ions for every three O²⁻ ions, balancing the total charge to zero.
  5. Why does the formula NaCl not describe separate NaCl molecules in a solid crystal?Answer: Each ion is attracted to multiple neighboring ions, so the formula gives a ratio rather than a discrete pair.

Based on Chemistry 2e by Paul Flowers, Klaus Theopold, Richard Langley, William R. Robinson, PhD (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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