Ionic Bonds: Definition, Characteristics, Properties and Examples of Compounds

Ionic Bonds: Definition, Characteristics, Properties and Examples of Compounds – On this occasion About the knowledge.co.id will discuss about ionic bonding and of course about other things that also cover it. Let's look at the discussion together in the article below to better understand it.

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Ionic Bonds: Definition, Characteristics, Properties and Examples of Compounds

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Ionic bonds are bonds that occur due to the transfer of electrons from one atom to another (James E. Brady, 1990). Ionic bonds are formed between atoms that lose electrons (metals) and atoms that gain electrons (non-metals). Metal atoms, after release electrons transformed into positive ions.

Whereas nonmetal atoms, after accept electrons transformed into ionnegative. Between these oppositely charged ions there is an attraction (electrostatic force) called ionic bond (electrovalent bonds). Compounds that have ionic bonds are called ionic compounds. Ionic compounds are usually formed between the atoms of metallic and non-metallic elements.

The process of forming ionic bonds is exemplified by the formation of NaCl. Natirum (Na) with an electron configuration (2,8,1) will be more stable if it releases 1 electron so that the electron configuration changes to (2,8). Whereas Chlorine (Cl), which has the configuration (2,8,7), will be more stable if it gains 1 electron so that the configuration becomes (2,8,8). So in order for both to be more stable, sodium donates one electron and chlorine will gain one electron from sodium.

When sodium loses one electron, it becomes smaller. Meanwhile, chlorine will become bigger because of the addition of one electron. Therefore the size of positive ions is always smaller than the previous size, but negative ions will tend to be larger than the previous size.

When the electron exchange occurs, Na will become positively charged (Na⁺) and Cl will become negatively charged (Cl^–). Then there is an electrostatic force between Na⁺ and Cl^– thus forming an ionic bond.

An ionic bond, also known as an electrovalent bond, is a type of chemical bond formed by the electrostatic attraction between two atoms with different charges. As we know that under normal circumstances, atoms have a neutral charge. However, some types of atoms have the ability to lose electrons or gain other electrons.

Atoms that lose electrons will become positively charged or referred to as cations. While the atom that captures electrons will become negatively charged and are referred to as anions. These two charged atoms can attract each other because of the different charges on the two atoms.

When the attraction brings the two atoms closer and connects the two atoms, the bond that occurs between the atoms is an ionic bond.

Ionic compounds are compounds formed by the presence of ionic bonds in them. Ionic bonds can form between nonmetal atoms and alkali or alkaline earth metal atoms. In an ionic crystal, electrostatic attractions between positive and negative ions make a molecule strong.

In this case the characteristics of the two charged ions are mutually balancing or neutralizing each other so that an uncharged compound is obtained and this will increase the stability of the compound. The attractive force in the crystalline can of course be determined with certainty through certain calculations.

If we review the covalent bond again, this ionic bond is almost the same as a polar covalent bond but in an extreme way. If in a covalent bond it is formed from two atoms with different electronegativities, then in this ionic bond what is different is that it is already higher than the electronegativity, namely the charge.

Electrons in a covalent bond are not transferred completely by one atom to another but are shared by both atoms. However, in an ionic bond, electrons are fully transferred from one atom to another so that it will affect the atomic charge of the atom.

Of course not all atoms can form ionic bonds with other atoms. There are certain conditions that must be met by an atom to form an ionic bond. If an atom does not meet these requirements then the atom cannot form ionic bonds and may be able to form covalent bonds or metallic bonds.

In terms of the nature of the compounds formed and how the process of forming ionic bonds will certainly be different when compared to covalent bonds or metallic bonds. Something that happens to salt is one example of this type of ionic bond. In this case salts such as sodium chloride or potassium chloride are also included in ionic compounds.

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Characteristics of Ionic Bonds

The characteristics of ionic bonds, among others, are;

• An ionic bond is formed through the complete transfer of valence electrons from one atom to another to achieve a certain stability.
• This type of bond allows the formation of two oppositely charged ions namely positively charged ions or cations and negatively charged ions or anions.
• The presence of these two oppositely charged ions will result in a strong attractive force between them.
• Ionic bonds occur between non-metal atoms and alkali metal or alkaline earth metal atoms
• Ionic bonds are formed from atoms that have a large difference in electronegativities, even greater than polar covalent bonds
• Compounds formed by the electrostatic attraction between positive and negative ions are called ionic compounds

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Nature of Ionic Bonds

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  Forms crystals

The specialty of an ionic compound is that it exists in a crystalline form. At the atomic level, an anion and a cation will combine to form a three-dimensional crystal structure arrangement based on the size of the ions involved in it.

A crystal has a neat, repeating structure. For example, table salt (NaCl) has a cubic crystal structure where Na ions⁺ and Cl^– will form a cube arrangement repeatedly and of course three dimensions.

• High boiling and melting points

More energy is required to break the ionic bonds that occur between positive and negative ions in ionic compounds. Therefore, the boiling and melting points of an ionic compound will be higher and generally higher than that of a covalent compound.

The high boiling point also makes ionic compounds less volatile, so they are generally ionic compounds does not have a pungent odor because there are no substances in the form of gas and can be inhaled by the senses olfactory.

• High enthalpies of melting and vaporization

In accordance with their nature which has a high boiling point and melting point, ionic compounds also have enthalpy heats of melting and vaporization which are 10 to 100 times higher than those of a compound molecular.

The enthalpy of melting is the heat required to melt one mole of solid under constant pressure. Meanwhile, the enthalpy of vaporization is the heat required to vaporize one mole of a compound in liquid form at a constant pressure.

• Hard but brittle

The high hardness of ionic compounds is due to the strong attraction between positive and negative ions in ionic compounds, making them difficult to separate from one another.

However, the presence of pressure can induce electrostatic forces in it to break the crystals. When a structure has experienced a split, it is very easy for the ionic compound to break. Therefore an ionic compound has a structure that is hard but brittle.

• Soluble in water

Ionic compounds are compounds that dissolve easily in water. Water is a very polar compound in which the structure of water has a positive dipole charge on the hydrogen and dipole atoms negative on oxygen which is caused by the attraction of electrons by the oxygen atom where this atom has the same electronegativity value tall.

The presence of a dipole charge in water means that an ionic compound will dissociate in water into its constituent ions and each of these ions will be attracted to the opposite water dipole charge. This explains the statement earlier why salt can dissolve in water where Na ions⁺ will be attracted towards the oxygen atom of the water while the Cl ion^– will be attracted towards the hydrogen of the water molecule.

• Solutions and melts can conduct electricity

In water, ionic compounds will dissociate as anions and cations. The presence of anions and cations allows it to become an electrical conductor where each of these ions will move in solution to conduct electricity. In addition to the solution, the melt of ionic compounds can also be a conductor of electricity.

• Good insulator

Although in solution and molten form it can conduct electricity, solid ionic compounds cannot conduct electricity or are insulators. That's because each ion is so tightly bound to other ions that it doesn't allow the movement of electrons to conduct electricity.

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Examples of Ionic Compounds

Kitchen salt that we can find easily in the kitchen. Kitchen salt or sodium chloride has the chemical formula NaCl and has a high boiling point of 800 ^oC.

We can determine the nature of ionic compounds in table salt by dissolving these compounds in water and then do a test to conduct electricity then the solution will be able to conduct electricity well.

If we look at the structure of table salt microscopically, we can see how the regular cubic structure in table salt is produced from a crystal lattice.

Although we can know the taste of salt easily, that is, it has a salty taste, it will be difficult for us to identify salt with smell because table salt has a very low vapor pressure so it will be very difficult to reach the sense of smell man.

Another example of an ionic compound besides NaCl is KCl, Mg (OH)₂, LiF, NaF, and others.

Thus the review from About the knowledge.co.id about Ionic Bonds, hopefully can add to your insight and knowledge. Thank you for visiting and don't forget to read other articles.