Ionic compounds

Metals on the left side of the periodic table, tend to form compounds with nonmetals, on the right side of
the table. For example, sodium chloride (table salt), is formed by the reaction of sodium with chlorine.

The compositions of the properties of these alkali metal-halogen compounds are similar. Two elements
always combine in a 1:1 ratio (one alkali metal atom for every halogen atom). Each compounds have a high
melting point (all over 500 ⁰C), each is stable, white, crystalline solid and each is soluble in water.

A water solution that contains each compounds conducts electricity.

Electricity can only flow through a medium containing charged particles that are free to move. The
electrical conductivity of for example metals occurs as a result of the movement of negatively charged
electrons through the metal.

Atoms are electrically neutral because they contain equal numbers of protons and electrons. An atom can
however by gaining or losing one or more electrons, the atom is able to being converted into a charged
particle which is defined as an ion.

A cation (cat-ion), which is a positively charged ion, is created when the loss of one or more electrons from
a neutral atom occurs.

An anion (an-ion), which is a negatively charged ion, is created when the gain of one or more electrons by a
neutral atom occurs.

Periodic properties and ion formation

The atoms ionization energy – the ease with which an atom loses an electron to form a positively charged
cation. They energy required to remove one electron from a single atom in the gaseous state.

Electron affinity – the ease with which an atom gains an electron to form a negatively charged anion. The
energy released on adding an electron to a single atom in the gaseous state.
𝐺𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑒 −
Ionization energy Atom + Energy → Cation + electron
𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑒 −
Electron affinity Atom + Energy → Anion + Energy

Electron affinities measure the amount of energy is released when an atom gains an electron.

𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑧𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 − 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡

Alkali metal { 𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 − 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑}
𝑁𝑒𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑡: 𝐶𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑑

𝐿𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑧𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 − 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡

Halogen { 𝐿𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 − 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 }
𝑁𝑒𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑡: 𝐴𝑛𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑑

Octet rule: Main group elements tend to undergo reactions that leave them with 8 valence electrons.
Important points about ion formation and the periodic table
Metals form cations by losing one or more electrons

 Group 1A and 2A metals form +1 and +2 ions, respectively to achieve a noble gas configuration. (Ex.
Li+ and Mg2+)
 Transition metals can form cations of more than one charge by losing a combination of valence-
shell s electrons and inner-shell d electrons (Ex. Fe2+ and Fe3+)

Reactive nonmetals form anions by gaining one or more electrons to achieve a noble gas configuration

 Group 6A nonmetals oxygen and sulfur form the anions O2-and S2-
 Group 7A elements (the halogens) form -1 ions; for example, F- and Cl-
 Group 8A elements (the noble gases) are unreactive
 Ionic charges of main group elements can be predicted using the group number and the octet rule.
- For 1A and 2A metals: cation charge = group number
- For nonmetals in groups 5A, 6A, and 7A: anion charge = 8 – (group number)

H+ and OH- Ions: An introduction to Acids and Bases

A hydrogen atom contains one proton and one electron, a hydrogen cation is simply a proton. When acid
dissolves in water, the proton typically attaches to a molecule in the water and forms the hydronium ion
(H3O+).

A hydroxide anion, by contrast, is a polyatomic ion in which an oxygen atom is covalently bonded to a
hydrogen atom.

H+ and H3O+ are fundamentals in the concept of acids and bases.

Acid – a substance that provides H+ ions when dissolved in water.

Base – a substance that provides OH- ions when dissolved in water.

Different acids can provide different numbers of H+ ions per acid molecule.