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DP IB Chemistry: SL

Revision Notes

Home / IB / Chemistry: SL / DP / Revision Notes / 4. Chemical Bonding & Structure / 4.1 Ionic & Covalent Bonding / 4.1.1 Forming Ions


4.1.1 Forming Ions


Forming Ions

  • As a general rule, metals are on the left of the Periodic Table and non-metals are on the right-hand side
  • Ionic bonds involve the transfer of electrons from a metallic element to a non-metallic element
  • Transferring electrons usually leaves the metal and the non-metal with a full outer shell
  • Metals lose electrons from their valence shell forming positively charged cations
  • Non-metal atoms gain electrons forming negatively charged anions
  • Once the atoms become ions, their electronic configurations are the same as a noble gas.
    • A sodium ion (Na+) has the same electronic configuration as neon: [2,8]
    • A chloride ion (Cl-) also has the same electronic configuration as argon: [2,8,8]

Forming cations by the removal of electrons from metals

Forming anions by the addition of electrons to nonmetals

  • Cations and anions are oppositely charged and therefore attracted to each other
  • Electrostatic attractions are formed between the oppositely charged ions to form ionic compounds
  • This form of attraction is very strong and requires a lot of energy to overcome
    • This causes high melting points in ionic compounds

Cations and anions bond together using strong electrostatic forces, which require a lot of energy to overcome

Exam Tip

Metals usually lose all electrons from their outer valence shell to become cations.You can make use of the groups on the periodic table to work out how many electrons an atom is likely to lose or gain by looking at the group an atom belongs to.



  • 1. Stoichiometric Relationships
    • 1.1 Matter, Chemical Change & the Mole Concept
      • 1.1.1 Elements, Compounds & Mixtures
        • 1.1.2 Equations
          • 1.1.3 State Changes
            • 1.1.4 The Mole Concept
              • 1.1.5 Moles-Mass Problems
                • 1.1.6 Empirical Formulae
                • 1.2 Reacting Masses & Volumes
                  • 1.2.1 Reacting Masses
                    • 1.2.2 Reaction Yields
                      • 1.2.3 Avogadro's Law & Molar Gas Volume
                        • 1.2.4 The Ideal Gas Equation
                          • 1.2.5 Gas Law Relationships
                            • 1.2.6 Real Gases
                              • 1.2.7 Standard Solutions
                                • 1.2.8 Concentration Calculations
                                  • 1.2.9 Titrations
                                • 2. Atomic Structure
                                  • 2.1 Atomic & Electronic Structure
                                    • 2.1.1 The Nuclear Atom
                                      • 2.1.2 Deducing Subatomic Particles
                                        • 2.1.3 Relative Atomic Mass Calculations
                                          • 2.1.4 The Electromagnetic Spectrum
                                            • 2.1.5 Emission Spectra
                                              • 2.1.6 Energy Levels & Sublevels
                                                • 2.1.7 Sublevels & Orbitals
                                                  • 2.1.8 Writing Electron Configurations
                                                • 3. Periodicity
                                                  • 3.1 The Periodic Table & Periodic Trends
                                                    • 3.1.1 The Periodic Table
                                                      • 3.1.2 Periodic Trends: Physical - Atomic & Ionic Radius
                                                        • 3.1.3 Periodic Trends: Physical - Ionisation Energy
                                                          • 3.1.4 Periodic Trends: Physical - Electron Affinity
                                                            • 3.1.5 Periodic Trends: Physical - Electronegativity
                                                              • 3.1.6 Periodic Trends: Chemical
                                                              • 3.2 Oxides, Group 1 & Group 17
                                                                • 3.2.1 Periodic Trends: Oxides Across a Period
                                                                  • 3.2.2 Periodic Trends: Group 1 - The Alkali Metals
                                                                    • 3.2.3 Periodic Trends: Group 17 - The Halogens
                                                                  • 4. Chemical Bonding & Structure
                                                                    • 4.1 Ionic & Covalent Bonding
                                                                      • 4.1.1 Forming Ions
                                                                        • 4.1.2 Ionic Compounds
                                                                          • 4.1.3 Formulae & Names of Ionic Compounds
                                                                            • 4.1.4 Covalent Bonds
                                                                              • 4.1.5 Bond Polarity
                                                                                • 4.1.6 Lewis Structures
                                                                                • 4.2 Resonance, Shapes & Giant Structures
                                                                                  • 4.2.1 Resonance Structures
                                                                                    • 4.2.2 Shapes of Molecules
                                                                                      • 4.2.3 Predicting Molecular Shapes
                                                                                        • 4.2.4 Molecular Polarity
                                                                                          • 4.2.5 Giant Covalent Structures
                                                                                          • 4.3 Intermolecular Forces & Metallic Bonding
                                                                                            • 4.3.1 Types of Intermolecular Forces
                                                                                              • 4.3.2 Deducing Intermolecular Forces
                                                                                                • 4.3.3 Properties of Covalent Compounds
                                                                                                  • 4.3.4 Metallic Bonding
                                                                                                    • 4.3.5 Trends in Melting Points of Metals
                                                                                                      • 4.3.6 Alloys & their Properties
                                                                                                    • 5. Energetics / Thermochemistry
                                                                                                      • 5.1 Energetics
                                                                                                        • 5.1.1 Energy Changes in Reactions
                                                                                                          • 5.1.2 Standard Enthalpy Change
                                                                                                            • 5.1.3 Calorimetry
                                                                                                              • 5.1.4 Calorimetry Experiments
                                                                                                              • 5.2 Hess's Law
                                                                                                                • 5.2.1 Hess's Law
                                                                                                                  • 5.2.2 Using Hess's Law - Cycles
                                                                                                                    • 5.2.3 Using Hess's Law - Equations
                                                                                                                      • 5.2.4 Using ∆Hf° to Find Enthalpy Changes
                                                                                                                      • 5.3 Bond Enthalpy
                                                                                                                        • 5.3.1 Bond Enthalpy
                                                                                                                          • 5.3.2 Bond Enthalpy Calculations
                                                                                                                            • 5.3.3 Energy Profiles
                                                                                                                              • 5.3.4 Case Study: Ozone
                                                                                                                            • 6. Chemical Kinetics
                                                                                                                              • 6.1 Chemical Kinetics
                                                                                                                                • 6.1.1 Collision Theory
                                                                                                                                  • 6.1.2 Rate of Reaction
                                                                                                                                    • 6.1.3 Measuring Rates
                                                                                                                                      • 6.1.4 Activation Energy
                                                                                                                                        • 6.1.5 Rate Experiments
                                                                                                                                          • 6.1.6 Explaining Rates
                                                                                                                                            • 6.1.7 Maxwell-Boltzmann Curves
                                                                                                                                              • 6.1.8 Energy Profiles & Catalysis
                                                                                                                                            • 7. Equilibrium
                                                                                                                                              • 7.1 Equilibrium
                                                                                                                                                • 7.1.1 The State of Equilibrium
                                                                                                                                                  • 7.1.2 The Equilibrium Law
                                                                                                                                                    • 7.1.3 Equilibrium Constant Relationships
                                                                                                                                                      • 7.1.4 The Reaction Quotient
                                                                                                                                                        • 7.1.5 Le Chatelier's Principle
                                                                                                                                                          • 7.1.6 Catalysts & Equilibrium
                                                                                                                                                        • 8. Acids & Bases
                                                                                                                                                          • 8.1 Theories & Reactions of Acids & Bases
                                                                                                                                                            • 8.1.1 Brønsted–Lowry Acids & Bases
                                                                                                                                                              • 8.1.2 Conjugate Acid-Base Pairs
                                                                                                                                                                • 8.1.3 Characteristic Reactions of Acids
                                                                                                                                                                  • 8.1.4 Neutralization
                                                                                                                                                                  • 8.2 More About Acids
                                                                                                                                                                    • 8.2.1 Acid-base Titrations
                                                                                                                                                                      • 8.2.2 pH & [H⁺]
                                                                                                                                                                        • 8.2.3 Interpreting pH
                                                                                                                                                                          • 8.2.4 The Ionic Product of Water
                                                                                                                                                                            • 8.2.5 Acid-Base Calculations
                                                                                                                                                                              • 8.2.6 pH Meters & Universal Indicator
                                                                                                                                                                                • 8.2.7 Strong & Weak Acids & Bases
                                                                                                                                                                                  • 8.2.8 Comparing Strong & Weak Acids
                                                                                                                                                                                  • 8.3 Acid Deposition
                                                                                                                                                                                    • 8.3.1 Acid Deposition
                                                                                                                                                                                      • 8.3.2 Effects of Acid Deposition
                                                                                                                                                                                        • 8.3.3 Reducing Sulfur Oxide Emissions
                                                                                                                                                                                      • 9. Redox Processes
                                                                                                                                                                                        • 9.1 Redox Processes
                                                                                                                                                                                          • 9.1.1 Oxidation & reduction
                                                                                                                                                                                            • 9.1.2 Deducing Oxidation Numbers
                                                                                                                                                                                              • 9.1.3 Oxidizing & Reducing agents
                                                                                                                                                                                                • 9.1.4 Naming Transition Metal Compounds
                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 9.1.5 Half Equations
                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 9.1.6 The Activity Series
                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 9.1.7 Redox Titrations
                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 9.1.8 The Winkler Method
                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 9.1.9 Voltaic Cells
                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 9.1.10 Electrolytic Cells
                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 10. Organic Chemistry
                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 10.1 Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry
                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 10.1.1 Homologous Series
                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 10.1.2 Understanding Organic Molecules
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 10.1.3 Nomenclature
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 10.1.4 Organic Families - Hydrocarbons
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 10.1.5 Organic Families - Halogenoalkanes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 10.1.6 Organic Families - Alcohols & Ethers
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 10.1.7 Organic Families - Carbonyls
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 10.1.8 Organic Families - Carboxylic Acids & Esters
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 10.1.9 Organic Families - Organic Nitrogen Compounds
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 10.1.10 3-D modelling
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 10.1.11 Primary, Secondary & Tertiary atoms
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 10.1.12 Benzene
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 10.2 Functional Group Chemistry
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 10.2.1 Alkanes - Combustion
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 10.2.2 Alkanes - Halogenation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 10.2.3 Alkenes - Reactivity
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 10.2.4 Alkenes - Hydrogenation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 10.2.5 Alkenes - Halogenation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 10.2.6 Alkenes - Hydrohalogenation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 10.2.7 Alkenes - Hydration
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 10.2.8 Addition Polymers
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 10.2.9 Alcohols - Combustion
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 10.2.10 Alcohols - Oxidation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 10.2.11 Alcohols - Esterification
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 10.2.12 Halogenoalkanes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 10.2.13 Reactions of Benzene
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 11. Measurements & Data Processes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 11.1 Spectroscopic Identification
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 11.1.1 Index of Hydrogen Deficiency
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 11.1.2 Mass Spectrometry
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 11.1.3 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 11.1.4 Infrared Spectroscopy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 11.2 Synoptic Data Handling & Graphical Skills
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 11.2.1 Recording Data
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 11.2.2 Processing Errors
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 11.2.3 Reducing the Impact of Errors
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 11.2.4 Percentage Error
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 11.2.5 Drawing Graphs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 11.2.6 Analysing Graphs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Stewart Hird

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Author: Stewart

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Stewart has been an enthusiastic GCSE, A Level and IB Chemistry teacher for more than 30 years in the UK as well as overseas, and has been an examiner for IB and A Level, also. As a long-standing Head of Department, Stewart brings a wealth of experience to creating Topic Questions and revision materials for Save My Exams.


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