Ionic bonding

Questions before we start

• Which groups are metals in?

• Which groups are non-metals in?

• Why are Group 0/8 elements unreactive?

 How Ions are Formed

• An ion is an electrically charged atom or a group of atoms that are

formed by the loss or gain of electrons.
• This loss or gain of electrons leave a full outer shell of electrons.
• The electronic structure of an ion will be the same as that of a noble
gas – such as Helium, Neon and Argon.
 Examples

Sodium (11) Charge Charge Oxygen (8) Charge Charge

Electrons - 11 -10 Electrons -8 -10

Protons +11 +11 Protons +8 +8

Overall 0 (atom) +1 (ion) Overall 0 (atom) -2(ion)

Calcium (20) Charge Charge Chlorine (17) Charge Charge

Electrons - 17 -18
Electrons - 20 -18
Protons +20 +20 Protons +17 +17

Overall 0 (atom) +2 (ion) Overall 0 (atom) -1(ion)

• Ionisation of metals and non-metals:
• Metals: They will lose electrons to another atom and become
positively charged ions
• Non-metals: They will gain electrons from another atom to become
negatively charged ions
 Ion Charges

• How to deduce the charge of an ion:

• Find the number of electrons in the outer electron shell.
• Find out if it is easy for the atom to gain electron or to donate
electron. (in most cases atoms that have below four electrons, donate
electrons and atoms that have above 4 electrons, receive electrons)
• Atoms that gain electron become negative ion and atoms that donate
electron forms positive ion
Charges of Positive
Ions:
Charges of
Negative Ions:
 Writing Formulae

• Ionic Compounds: Formed when atoms of metals transfer electrons to atoms of

non-metals to form compounds made up of ions.
• Formulae for compounds formed between ions
• Metals: They will lose electrons to another atom and become positively charged ions
• Non-Metals: They will gain electrons from another atom to become negatively
charged ions
 EXAMPLE 1: Sodium Chloride, NaCl, has a typical ionic bond

• Sodium Atom
• Sodium is a group 1 metal so will lose one outer electron to another
atom to have a full outer shell of electrons
• They will lose an electron to form a positive ion with the charge 1+
• Na 2 . 8 . 1 → Na+ 2 . 8
 Chlorine Atom

• Chlorine is a Group 7 non-metal so will need to gain an electron to

have a full outer shell of electrons
• one electron will be transferred from the outer shell of the sodium
atom to the outer shell of the chlorine atom
• Chlorine atom will gain an electron to form a negative ion with charge
1-
• Cl 2 . 8 . 7 → Cl– 2 . 8 . 8
Formula of Ionic Compound: NaCl
EXAMPLE 2:Magnesium Oxide, MgO, has a typical ionic bond

• MAGNESIUM ATOM
• Magnesium is a group 2 metal so will lose two outer electrons to
another atom to have a full outer shell of electrons
• They will lose two electrons to form a positive ion with the charge 2+
• Mg 2 . 8 . 2 → Mg2+ 2 . 8
• OXYGEN ATOM
• Oxygen is a group 6 non-metal so will need to gain two electrons to have a full
outer shell of electrons
• Two electrons will be transferred from the outer shell of the Magnesium Atom to the
outer shell of the oxygen atom
• Oxygen atom will gain two electrons to form a negative ion with charge 2-
• O 2.6 → O2- 2 . 8
• Formula of Ionic Compound: MgO
Calcium Chloride
Potassium Sulfide
 Dot-and-Cross Diagrams of Ionic Compounds

• Dot-and-Cross Diagrams: Shows the ionic bonds between ions by the

loss and gain of electrons
• Only the outer shell of electrons of each atom is drawn
• Electrons in one atom will be represented as crosses, whilst electrons
in the other atom will be represented as circles, indicating which ion
gains or loses electrons
• The charges of each ion is displayed at the upper right corner of each
ion
Example 1:
Sodium Chloride,
NaCl, has a
typical ionic bond
 Explanation

• Sodium is a group 1 metal so will lose one outer electron to another atom to have a
full outer shell of electrons
• They will lose an electron to form a positive ion with the charge 1+
• Chlorine is a group 7 non – metal so will need to gain an electron to have a full
outer shell of electrons
• One electron will be transferred from the outer shell of the Sodium atom to the
outer shell of the Chlorine atom
• Chlorine atom will gain an electron to form a negative ion with charge 1-
• Formula of Ionic Compound: NaCl
Example 2:
Magnesium
Oxide, MgO,
has a typical
ionic bond
 Explanation

• Magnesium is a group 2 metal so will lose two outer electrons to another atom to
have a full outer shell of electrons
• They will lose two electrons to form a positive ion with the charge 2+
• Oxygen is a group 6 non – metal so will need to gain two electrons to have a full
outer shell of electrons
• Two electrons will be transferred from the outer shell of the Magnesium atom to the
outer shell of the Oxygen atom
• Oxygen atom will gain two electrons to form a negative ion with charge 2-
• Formula of ionic compound: MgO
Aluminium fluoride
Lithium Nitride
Ionic Bonding

• Ionic Bonding: Bond

between metal and non-
metal with strong
electrostatic forces of
attraction between
oppositely charged ions.
• Example of an ionic bond:
Giant Ionic • Giant Ionic Lattice: Giant three-dimensional
lattice structure held together by the strong
Lattices attraction between oppositely charged ions.
 Melting and boiling point of compounds with giant ionic
lattices:

• Melting and boiling point depends on the force that holds the
particles.

• Giant Ionic Lattices are held together by the strong attraction between
oppositely charged ions with many ions and bonds in structure.

• Large amounts of heat energy is needed to overcome forces and

break down the bonds.
• Therefore compounds with giant ionic lattices have high melting and boiling
points.

• Ionic charge is directly proportional to the melting and boiling point in an

ionic compound.

• e.g. Magnesium oxide has higher melting point that NaCl. This is because in
MgO, 2+ ions are attracting 2- ions and in sodium chloride, the attraction is
weaker because there are only 1+ and 1- ions attracted.
 Discussion with your neighbour(s)

• Explain whether KCl and K2S would have a higher melting point.

• Explain whether CaF2 and CaCl2 would have a higher melting point.
Ionic
Compounds
& Electrical
Conductivity

• Ionic Compounds: Formed when atoms of metals transfer

electrons to atoms of non-metals to form compounds made up of
ions.
Electrical Conductivity of Ionic Compounds:

• Ionic compounds cannot conduct electricity when solid as

ions are fixed in structure and are not free to move.
• However, ionic compounds can conduct electricity when
molten or in aqueous solution as their ions are free to
move to conduct an electric charge.