Ionic compounds and ionic bonding

When metals react with non-metals, electronselectrons: Sub-atomic particles, with a negative charge and a negligible mass relative to protons and neutrons. are transferred from the metal atoms to the non-metal atoms, forming ionsions: Electrically charged particles, formed when an atom or molecule gains or loses electrons.. The resulting compound is called an ionic compoundionic compound: An ionic compound occurs when a negative ion (an atom that has gained an electron) joins with a positive ion (an atom that has lost an electron): The ions swap electrons to achieve a full outer shell..

Consider reactions between metals and non-metals, for example,

• sodium + chlorine → sodium chloride
• magnesium + oxygen → magnesium oxide
• calcium + chlorine → calcium chloride

In each of these reactions, the metal atoms give electrons to the non-metal atoms. The metal atoms become positive ions and the non-metal atoms become negative ions.

There is a strong electrostaticelectrostatic: An electrostatic force is generated by differences in electric charge (ie positive and negative) between two particles. It can also refer to electricity at rest. force of attraction between these oppositely charged ions, called an ionic bond. The animation shows ionic bonds being formed in sodium chloride, magnesium oxide and calcium chloride.

There are many ionic bonds in an ionic compound such as sodium chloride, arranged in giant latticelattice: A lattice is a regular grid-like arrangement of atoms in a material. structures. Ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points.