Ionic Bonding

Ionic Bonding is another concept that can be challenging. Ionic bonds tend to form between metals and non-metals. Unlike covalent bonding, ionic bonding involves the removal of electrons from one atom and the consequent attachment of those electrons to another atom, resulting in the formation of attracting positive and negative ions. The element that loses the electrons is the atom that started with the least amount of electrons. This is because it is easier to lose a small number of electrons than it is to gain a large number of electrons. The atom that then gains the electrons is the one that has the most starting electrons, because it is easier to gain a small number of electrons than it is to lose a large number of them. The atom that lost electrons now has a positive charge, and is called a cation. The atom that gained electrons now has a negative charge and is called an anion.