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## Ionic Bonds Ionic bonds form between ions. * Ions are atoms or molecules that carry an electric charge, either positive or negative. * Ions with a positive charge (+) are called **cations**. * Ions with a negative charge (-) are called **anions**. * Ionic bonds are chemical bonds created by th...

## Ionic Bonds Ionic bonds form between ions. * Ions are atoms or molecules that carry an electric charge, either positive or negative. * Ions with a positive charge (+) are called **cations**. * Ions with a negative charge (-) are called **anions**. * Ionic bonds are chemical bonds created by the electrical attraction between anions and cations. Atoms become ions by losing or gaining electrons. We assign a value of +1 to the charge on a proton; the charge of an electron is -1. When the number of protons is equal to the number of electrons, an atom is electrically neutral. An atom that loses an electron becomes a cation with a charge of +1, because it then has one proton that lacks a corresponding electron. Losing a second electron would give the cation a charge of +2. Adding an extra electron to a neutral atom produces an anion with a charge of -1; adding a second electron gives the anion a charge of -2. Thus, in the formation of an ionic bond the following occurs: 1. One atom, the **electron donor**, loses one or more electrons and becomes a cation, with a positive (+) charge. 2. Another atom, the **electron acceptor**, gains those same electrons and becomes an anion, with a negative (-) charge. 3. Attraction between the opposite charges then draws the two ions together.