3: Ionic Compounds

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When you think of bonding, you may not think of ions or molecules. Like most of us, you probably think of bonding between people. Like people, molecules bond — and some bonds are stronger than others. It's hard to break up a mother and baby, or a molecule made up of one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms! A chemical bond is a force of attraction between atoms or ions. Bonds form when atoms share or transfer valence electrons. Valence electrons are the electrons in the outer energy level of an atom that may be involved in chemical interactions. Valence electrons are the basis of all chemical bonds.

3.1: Ions
Ions can be positively charged or negatively charged. A Lewis diagram is used to show how electrons are transferred to make ions and ionic compounds.
3.2: Ions and the Octet Rule
3.3: Ions of Some Common Elements
3.4: Periodic Properties and Ion Formation
3.5: Naming Monoatomic Ions
3.6: Polyatomic Ions
3.7: Ionic Bonds
Atoms have a tendency to have eight electrons in their valence shell. The attraction of oppositely charged ions is what makes ionic bonds.
3.8: Formulas of Ionic Compounds
Proper chemical formulas for ionic compounds balance the total positive charge with the total negative charge. Groups of atoms with an overall charge, called polyatomic ions, also exist.
3.9: Naming Ionic Compounds
Each ionic compound has its own unique name that comes from the names of the ions.
3.10: Some Properties of Ionic Compounds
3.11: H⁺ and OH⁻ Ions - An Introduction to Acids and Bases

Thumbnail: The crystal structure of sodium chloride, NaCl, a typical ionic compound. The purple spheres represent sodium cations, \(\ce{Na^{+}}\), and the green spheres represent chloride anions, \(\ce{Cl^{−}}\). (Public Domain; Benjah-bmm27 via Wikipedia)