Otis Singleton
Ionic compounds are electrically neutral, containing both positively and negatively charged ions in a ratio that results in an overall charge of zero. These ions are held together by electrostatic forces. Atoms or groups of atoms that possess a net electrical charge are called ions. Ions with fewer electrons than protons have a net positive charge and are called cations, while ions with more electrons than protons have a net negative charge and are called anions. For example, the gemstone sapphire, a compound of aluminium and oxygen, contains aluminium cations (Al3+) and oxygen anions (O2−).
| Characteristics | Values | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Charge of ions | Depends on sharing during bond formation | ||
| Ionic formula for a compound | Electrically neutral | ||
| Formation of electrically neutral compounds | Sharing of charge between electrically negative change ions and positive charge ions | ||
| Example | Reaction of calcium with chlorine to form calcium chloride | ||
| Ionic formula | $CaCCations</co: 0> | $C{a^{ + 2}}Anions</co: 0> | \(C{l^ - }\) |
| Ionic compounds | Consist of charged particles but are electrically neutral as a whole | ||
| Ionic compounds | Formed by the transfer of electrons between atoms of different elements | ||
| Cations | Atoms that have lost electrons | ||
| Anions | Atoms that have gained electrons | ||
| Ionic compounds | Contain positive and negative ions but are electrically neutral overall |
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What You'll Learn
Ionic compounds contain both cations and anions
Ions are electrically charged particles; they can be negatively charged or positively charged. The charge of an ion depends on the sharing of electrons during bond formation. Ions can be formed when atoms lose or gain electrons. Atoms that lose electrons become positively charged ions, known as cations, while atoms that gain electrons become negatively charged ions, known as anions.
Ionic compounds are electrically neutral as a whole, even though they consist of charged particles. This is because the positive and negative charges of the ions cancel each other out, resulting in no net electrical charge for the compound. In other words, the sum of the positive charges from the cations equals the sum of the negative charges from the anions, ensuring their charges offset each other. For example, in sodium chloride (NaCl), the Na+ and Cl- ions have equal and opposite charges, making the overall charge of the compound electrically neutral.
It is important to note that the ratio of ions can vary in ionic compounds, but the overall charge remains neutral due to the balance between cations and anions. This balance is crucial for the electrical neutrality of the compound. The formation of ionic compounds begins with the transfer of electrons between atoms of different elements, leading to the creation of cations and anions that then combine to form a stable compound.
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The ratio of ions results in an overall charge of zero
Ions are electrically charged particles; they can be negatively charged or positively charged. The charge of an ion depends on the sharing of electrons during bond formation. An atom that loses an electron becomes a positively charged ion, or cation, while an atom that gains an electron becomes a negatively charged ion, or anion.
Ionic compounds are electrically neutral because the total positive charge from the cations is equal to the total negative charge from the anions. This balance of charges cancels each other out, resulting in an overall charge of zero for the compound. For example, in sodium chloride (NaCl), the Na+ and Cl- ions have equal and opposite charges, so the overall charge of the compound is neutral.
The ratio of ions in an ionic compound is such that the number of positive and negative charges are equal, resulting in a neutral compound. For instance, in the compound K2S, two potassium atoms donate an electron to sulphur, creating two K+ and one S2- ions. These ions then bond to form the neutral compound K2S.
The formation of ionic compounds involves the transfer of electrons between atoms of different elements. The oppositely charged ions are attracted to each other by electrostatic forces, forming a stable ionic compound. This process ensures that the number of electrons lost is equal to the number of electrons gained, resulting in a balanced and neutral compound.
In summary, ions form electrically neutral compounds by sharing their charges during bond formation. The ratio of ions in an ionic compound is carefully balanced, with the total positive charge from cations equalling the total negative charge from anions, resulting in an overall charge of zero for the compound.
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Monatomic ions contain only a single atom
Ions are electrically charged particles that can be negatively or positively charged. Ionic compounds are electrically neutral as a whole, meaning the total positive charge equals the total negative charge. This balance of charges cancels each other out, resulting in an electrically neutral compound.
Ions consisting of only a single atom are called monatomic ions, while those formed by two or more atoms are called molecular or polyatomic ions. Monatomic ions are formed by the gain or loss of electrons to the valence shell (the outer-most electron shell) in an atom. The process of gaining or losing electrons from a neutral atom or molecule is called ionization. Atoms can be ionized by bombardment with radiation, but the more common process of ionization in chemistry is the transfer of electrons between atoms or molecules. This transfer is usually driven by the attainment of stable ("closed shell") electronic configurations.
Monatomic ions may be highly reactive and short-lived. While most monatomic ions are metals, there are also monatomic ions of metalloids and nonmetals. Nonmetals form most monatomic anions. Hydrogen is an example of an element that forms both a monatomic cation and a monatomic anion. The naming rules differ for monatomic cations and anions. Monatomic cations go by their element names, and the name often includes the charge. This is important when an atom forms more than one cation. For example, H+ is called "H plus or H plus one" or "hydrogen plus or hydrogen plus one."
The name of a binary compound containing monatomic ions consists of the name of the cation (the name of the metal) followed by the name of the anion (the name of the nonmetallic element with its ending replaced by the suffix "-ide"). For example, when each sodium atom in a sample of sodium metal gives up one electron to form a sodium cation, Na+, and each chlorine atom in a sample of chlorine gas accepts one electron to form a chloride anion, Cl-, the resulting compound is NaCl (sodium chloride). This compound is composed of sodium ions and chloride ions in a 1:1 ratio.
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Ionic compounds are hard crystalline solids with high melting points
Ionic compounds are electrically neutral compounds formed by the transfer of electrons between atoms of different elements. In this process, one atom loses electrons (becoming a positively charged ion, or cation) while another atom gains electrons (becoming a negatively charged ion, or anion). The oppositely charged ions are then attracted to each other by electrostatic forces, forming a stable ionic compound.
The high melting points of ionic compounds also make them generally hard and brittle. While they are strong, they can shatter when struck with sufficient force, such as a hammer, as this brings ions of the same charge close to one another, leading to repulsive forces that cause the crystal to break along smooth planes.
The electrical conductivity of ionic compounds is another notable characteristic. In their solid form, the ions are unable to move due to the strong attraction between them, so they do not conduct electricity. However, when dissolved in water, the ions can move and carry a current, allowing the compound to conduct electricity.
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Covalent compounds are formed when atoms share electrons
Ionic compounds are formed by the transfer of electrons between atoms of different elements. In this process, one atom loses electrons (becoming a positively charged ion, or cation) while another atom gains electrons (becoming a negatively charged ion, or anion). The oppositely charged ions are then attracted to each other by electrostatic forces, forming a stable ionic compound.
Now, coming to the main topic of discussion, covalent compounds are formed when atoms share electrons. This sharing of electrons between atoms is called a covalent bond, which holds the atoms together as a molecule. The term "covalence" in regard to bonding was first used by Irving Langmuir in 1919. Langmuir wrote that "we shall denote by the term covalence the number of pairs of electrons that a given atom shares with its neighbors." The idea of covalent bonding can be traced back several years before 1919 to Gilbert N. Lewis, who in 1916 described the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.
Atoms will covalently bond with other atoms to gain more stability, which is achieved by forming a full electron shell. A covalent bond happens if the attractions are strong enough in both atoms and if each atom has room for an electron in its outer energy level. Atoms will covalently bond until their outer energy level is full. Atoms covalently bonded as a molecule are more stable than they were as separate atoms. For many molecules, the sharing of electrons allows each atom to attain the equivalent of a full valence shell, corresponding to a stable electronic configuration.
There are three general types of covalent bonds: single, double, and triple bonds. A single bond is when two atoms share a pair of electrons. A double bond is when two atoms share two pairs of electrons, and a triple bond is when two atoms share three pairs of electrons. A non-polar covalent bond is created when atoms share their electrons equally. On the other hand, a polar covalent bond is created when the shared electrons between atoms are not equally shared, resulting in a slightly positive side and a slightly negative side in the molecule.
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Frequently asked questions
Ions are atoms or groups of atoms that have a net electrical charge. They can be positively or negatively charged.
Ionic compounds contain both positively and negatively charged ions in a ratio that results in an overall charge of zero. This means that the number of positive and negative charges must balance, resulting in no net electrical charge.
Sapphire is a gemstone that is a compound of aluminium and oxygen. It contains aluminium cations (Al3+) and oxygen anions (O2−). The formula for this compound is Al2O3, indicating that there are two aluminium ions and three oxide ions.
