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Ionic Bond

An ionic bond is a chemical bond between an anion and a cation based on the electrostatic forces of their opposite charges. In the formation of this bond, a metal atom, either alone or bonded in a molecule, donates an ion to a nonmetallic atom; because the two atoms now have opposite charges, they are drawn together in a chemical bond.

This is one of the three primary types of bonds found in molecules, the others being covalent bonds and hydrogen bonds. The more energy required to create the ionic bond, the stronger the bond is. All ionic bonds have some degree of covalent or metallic bonding as well; there is no such thing as a pure ionic bond.

An ionic bond is difficult to break, but when dissolved in water, the polarity of water molecules will break it apart, with the positive ion adhering to the oxygen atom and the negative ion adhering to the hydrogen atoms. This solution conducts electricity readily, as does the ionic molecule when melted. Because ionic bonds form at very specific locations on molecules, solid ionic molecules form crystalline structures.

Web Resources On Ionic Bond

Nature of the Ionic Bond
Covalent and Ionic Bonds

Book Resources On Ionic Bond

Ionic Bonds & Compounds by Roberts
The Nature of the Chemical Bond and the Structure of Molecules and Crystals by Linus Carl Pauling

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