Ions and iconic bonds

What is an ion?

An ion is an atom or group of atoms that has an electric charge.

What is an ionic bond?

An ionic bond is the attraction between two oppositely charged ions- Ionic bonds form as a result of the attraction between positive and negative ions.

How many valence electrons does it take to make an atom with five, six or seven valence elctrons stable?

Atoms with five, six or seven valence electrons usually become more stable when this number increases to eight.

What happens to atoms with one, two or three valence electrons when they lose electrons

Most atoms with one, two or three valence electrons can lose electrons and become more stable.

How do ionic bonds usually form?

When a metal combines with a nonmetal

What happens when an atom gains an electron?

When an atom gains an electron it gains a negative charge and becomes a negative ion.

What happens when an atom loses an electron?

When an atom loses an electron, it loses a negative charge and becomes a positive ion.

How do ions form?

When an atom loses one of its electrons, it becomes a positively charged ion. The atom that gains the electron becomes a negatively charged ion.

When the previous two types of atoms combine what happens?

When these two types of atoms combine, electrons are transferred from one type of atom to the other. The transfer makes both types of atoms more stable.