International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Chemistry Practice Exam

Which term best describes the formation of an ionic bond?

1. Transfer of electrons to create charged ions

2. Sharing of electrons between atoms

3. Overlap of atomic orbitals

4. Weak attraction between atoms

The correct answer is: Transfer of electrons to create charged ions

The formation of an ionic bond is best described as the transfer of electrons to create charged ions. In this process, one atom donates one or more of its electrons to another atom. This typically occurs between metals and nonmetals, where the metal loses electrons to become a positively charged ion (cation), and the nonmetal gains those electrons to become a negatively charged ion (anion). The resulting attraction between these oppositely charged ions forms the ionic bond. This transfer of electrons is what distinguishes ionic bonding from other types of bonding, such as covalent bonding, which involves the sharing of electrons, or metallic bonding, characterized by a sea of delocalized electrons. The interaction in ionic bonding is based on the electrostatic attraction between charged ions, making it a strong bond that typically results in the formation of crystalline structures.