Profile
Settings
Refer your friends
Sign out
An anion and a cation are generated when electrons are transferred from one atom to another. When electrons are transported between two atoms, the electrovalent connection, also known as an ionic bond, is formed. The only materials that can form electrovalent bonds are metals and non-metals. Electrovalent bonds need not form between nonmetals.
Definition
An electrovalent bond is also known as an ionic bond can be formed between electropositive elements and electronegative elements
Electro positivity:
Electro positivity can be defined as the process of losing its electrons to obtain its stability.
Most of the metallic elements are examples of electropositive elements.
Electronegativity
Electronegativity can be defined as the process of gaining its electrons to fill its outer shell and get stability,
Most of the non-metals are examples of the electronegative elements
Formation of Electrovalent or ionic bonds happens between metal and non-mental. Generally, Metals have a tendency to donate their electrons and non-metals have a tendency to accept their electrons.
Now, let us go deeper and see how an Electrovalent or ionic bond is formed.
Let us take metal and non-metal, due to its electro positivity nature metal donates electrons and due to its electronegativity, character non-metal accepts electrons. Therefore, transferring of electrons is done between metal and non-metal. Those electrons are now charged called ions.
Ions:
Ions are the charged atoms that are formed during the transfer of electrons.
Cations:
Cations are the positively charged ions that are formed when someone donates the electrons.
Mainly, all metals are cations.
Anions:
Anions are the negative charged ions that are formed when someone accepts the electrons.
Mainly, all non-metals are anions.
Example for Formation of Electrovalent or ionic bond
To understand the Formation of Electrovalent or ionic bonds, let us look into some examples
Formation of Sodium chloride
Chlorine is a non-metal with no charge, while sodium is a metal.
To achieve stability, sodium donates electrons to chlorine. Because sodium has lost electrons, it has a positive(+) charge, whereas chlorine has gained electrons and has a negative charge (-)
Because chlorine now possesses one electron, it takes on the form of chloride.
Electrostatic forces of attraction bind these oppositely charged ions together.
The ionic bonding or electrovalent process is depicted in the diagram above. Sodium has 11 electrons and 11 protons and has an atomic number of 11. Chlorine has 17 electrons and 17 protons and has an atomic number of 17.
Sodium has only one electron in its outermost shell, but chlorine requires one electron to obtain the octet rule or to fill its outermost shell.
As a result, sodium now loses electrons and gives them to chlorine. So that chlorine can fill the shell’s outermost layer.
Electrons are transferred between sodium and chlorine.
Sodium now has ten protons and ten electrons.
As a result, it acquires a positive charge (Na+).
Because chlorine has 18 electrons but only 17 protons, it possesses a negative charge (cl-).
When these two elements come together, they make sodium chloride.
Na + Cl → Na+ + Cl− → NaCl
Formation of magnesium chloride
Magnesium has a 12 atomic number, which means it has 12 electrons and 12 protons. Chlorine has 17 electrons and 17 protons and has an atomic number of 17.
Magnesium has two electrons in its outermost shell, but chlorine only needs one electron to achieve the octet rule or fill its outermost shell.
However, magnesium must give up two electrons, and since each chlorine atom requires an electron, it must share an electron with another chlorine atom. As a result, magnesium must give up two electrons and give them to two chlorine atoms. So that chlorine can fill the shell’s outermost layer.
Electrons are transferred between magnesium and chlorine.
Magnesium now has 11 protons and 11 electrons. As a result, it receives one positive charge (Mg2+). And because one chlorine contains 18 electrons and 17 protons, while the other has 18 electrons and 17 protons, chlorine has a negative charge (Cl-).
Properties of electrovalent of ionic bonding
Forms crystals:
The best example of electrovalent or ionic bonding is sodium chloride. The other name for sodium chloride is Salt. Salt is generally in crystalline form. Therefore, Ionic components are in crystalline form.
Easy soluble:
Salt has the tendency to dissolve in water. So we can say that electrovalent components are easily soluble in water.
High melting points and boiling points
Electrovalent compounds are generally attracted to two oppositely charged electrons. They have strong electrostatic forces of attraction. So they have high boiling and melting points.
Conclusion
When electrons are transported from one element’s atoms to another element’s atoms, electrovalent bonds are established, resulting in oppositely charged ions. An electrovalent link, also known as an ionic bond, is produced when electrons are transferred between atoms. Electrovalent bonds form between only metals and nonmetals.
