Answer to Question #86218 in General Chemistry for Saberin

Question

describe ionic bonding in terms of strong electrostatic force of attraction between oppositely charged ions

Answer 1

Ionic bonds form when metals and non-metals chemically react. By definition, a metal is relatively stable if it loses electrons to form a complete valence shell and becomes positively charged. Likewise, a non-metal becomes stable by gaining electrons to complete its valence shell and become negatively charged. When metals and non-metals react, the metals lose electrons by transferring them to the non-metals, which gain them. Consequently, ions are formed, which instantly attract each other—ionic bonding. Ionic bonds are formed when positively and negatively charged ions are held together by electrostatic forces. The energy of the electrostatic attraction (E), a measure of the force’s strength, is inversely proportional to the internuclear distance between the charged particles (r):

$$E = k*\dfrac{Q1*Q2}{r}$$

where each ion’s charge is represented by the symbol Q. The proportionality constant is k.

Sourses: https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_Missouri/MU%3A__1330H_(Keller)/08._Basic_Concepts_of_Chemical_Bonding/8.2%3A_Ionic_Bonding