Ionic Bonds

Describe the change in the valence shell of chlorine when it gains an electron.

Explain how the octet rule influences the formation of ions, using magnesium and chlorine as examples.

Which element is the metal, sodium or chlorine? How do you know?

How many valence electrons does each element have?

Based on Coulomb's Law, what would you expect to happen to a positively and negatively charged ion like the sodium ion and chlorine ion shown?

What would these elements need to do to become more stable with a full valence shell?

What do you notice about the shape of halite, a crystal made of sodium chloride?

What do you notice about the arrangement of sodium and chlorine in the molecular model?

What type of bonding would you expect to be found in most gems? Why?

If ionic compounds are held together by strong attractive forces and therefore have a high melting point, would you expect most ionic compounds to be solids, liquids, or gases at room temperature? Why?

Would you expect anions or cations to be attracted to the negatively charged electrode? Why?

Explain how the names of binary ionic compounds are formed using the chemical formula and the names of the ions involved.

Reflecting on what you learned about ionic bonds and ions, what questions do you still have or what would you like to explore further about this topic?