What is an ionic compound?

★ Ionic bonds form when a metal reacts with a non-metal.

★ They are the electrostatic forces of attraction

between oppositely charged ions.
★ Ionic bonds are formed when atoms of metals
transfer their outer electrons to atoms of nonmetals.
★ Compounds that contain bonds are called ionic Positively charged Na ions and
compounds. negatively charged Cl ions

★ The oppositely charged ions are arranged in a regular way to form giant
ionic lattices. Ionic compounds often form crystals as a result. The
illustration shows part of a sodium chloride (NaCl) ionic lattice.
Properties of ionic compounds
● High melting and boiling points - Ionic bonds are very strong - a lot of energy is needed to
break them. So ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points.

● Conductive when liquid - Ions are charged particles, but ionic compounds can only conduct
electricity if their ions are free to move. Ionic compounds do not conduct electricity when they
are solid - only when dissolved in water or melted.
 Bonding of ionic compounds
1. The formation of positive ions
Each sodium atom loses its single valence electron to form
a positively charged sodium ion.
Na → Na+ + e-
(2.8.1) ( 2.8)

2. The formation of negative ions

Each chlorine atom gains an electron from a sodium atom to
form a negatively charged chloride ion.
Cl + e- → Cl –
(2.8.7) ( 2.8.8)

3. The formation of ionic bonds

Positive sodium ions and negative chloride ions are attracted to one
another by electrostatic attraction to form sodium chloride.
Na+ + Cl - → NaCl
Sources:
❖ http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_aqa_pre_2011/ato
mic/differentsubrev1.shtml

❖ http://www.chemguide.co.uk/atoms/structures/ionicstruct.html

❖ https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=structure+of+an+ionic+compound
&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&c
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