1.4 Forming Bonds Flashcards
What happens when different elements combine?
Compounds are formed
What happens when a metal reacts with a non-metal?
Ions are formed
What happens to the atoms when an ion is formed?
The metal atoms lose an electron and become positively charged. The non-metal atoms gain an electron and become negatively charged. The oppositely charged ions attract each other and the compound has ionic bonds.
What does the chemical formula of an ionic compound tell us?
The simplest ratio of ions in the compound
What happens when a non-metal reacts with a non-metal?
Their atoms share electrons to form covalent bonds and molecules are formed
What does the chemical formula of a molecule tell us?
The number of atoms that have bonded together in the molecule