Tuesday, July 13, 2010
IONS & CHEMICAL BONDINGIONS are atoms with either extra electrons or missing electrons. A normal atom is called a neutral atom. That term describes an atom with a number of electrons equal to the atomic number.IONS have either a positive or negative charge, depending on whether they have more electrons than protons or less. Since they are no longer neutral, they cannot be called atoms anymore.IONS are created when atoms try to gain or lose electrons to achieve stability. Stability refers to having the maximum number of electrons in their outermost shell.Elements bond when they become ions, by 'exchanging' or 'sharing' electrons.e.g.1: Sodium Chloride (NaCl)Sodium needs to lose one electron in order to achieve stability, while chlorine needs to gain one electron. Sodium then gives its unwanted electron to chlorine so that they both can achieve stability. This bond is between a metal element and a non-metal element, therefore it is an ionic bond.e.g.2: Hydrogen (H2)
Each hydrogen atom has one electron, but it needs two to fill up its shell. So, two hydrogen atoms can bond by sharing their one electron with each other, allowing both to become stable. this is known as a covalent bond, as it is between two non-metals.http://www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_ions.html
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