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1.1.1.2. Ionic bond

Ionic bond

The ionic bond occurs between atoms that have different electronegativity: metals and non-metals.

  • The nonmetal, more electronegative, with a great capacity to attract and gain electrons to complete its valence shell, will transform into a negative ion, an anion.
  • The less electronegative metal, with a great tendency to lose electrons and acquire the most stable configuration, will transform into a cation.

Ionic compounds do not form molecules, but a crystal lattice of attracting positive and negative ions that extends indefinitely. A very orderly structure is formed: the glass.

An example of an ionic compound is sodium chloride.

Enlace iónicoTra at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons