Atoms form ions so that they can have a full valence shell of electrons (sometimes called an octet). Many atoms will lose electrons and become positive ions, so that their electron configuration is like that of a noble gas. Certain atoms can gain electrons, becoming negative ions to reach a noble gas configuration.
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Atoms form ions by gaining or losing electrons in order to achieve a full outer electron shell and become more stable. Positively charged ions form when atoms lose electrons to achieve a full outer shell, while negatively charged ions form when atoms gain electrons for the same reason. This process helps atoms attain the stable electron arrangement of a noble gas.
Atoms are neutral. So when an atom transfers electrons to another, the atom that loses one or more electrons becomes positively charged and the atom that gains one or more electrons becomes negatively charged. These, now charged, particles are called ions.
Atoms that only have a few electrons on their outer (valence) shell are more able to lose electrons in order to complete the next lower valence, so the loss of those electrons causes a positive ion, due to the loss of negative electrons.
Atoms that have more - 6 or 7, will more readily "grab" electrons from atoms that are more willing to give them up. The gain of negatively charged electrons gives that an overall negative charge.
This is why cations and anions are attracted to each other - like a magnet, one is positive, one is negative, thus, they attract to each other. OR
It's a case of having a complete outer shell which means electronic stability a state naturally sought by all atoms. Eg Sodium and Potassium can attain it by losing one electron, Calcium and Magnesium by losing two electrons and they have a tendency to do just that whereas Chlorine can attain it by gaining one electron.
Atoms form ions in order to help another to obtain a full octet and to stabilize the valence shell.
Atoms have generally unfilled valence orbitals. So atoms gain or lose electrons to for ions and thereby try to attain the electronic configuration of the nearest noble gas, which is stable.
Atoms and ions form compounds in order to become stable, which usually means achieving an octet (8) of valence electrons. They do this by either sharing electrons or transferring electrons.
Ionic bonds are formed when calcium atoms react with oxygen atoms. Calcium tends to lose two electrons to form a positive ion, while oxygen tends to gain two electrons to form a negative ion. The strong electrostatic attraction between the positive calcium ion and the negative oxygen ion results in the formation of an ionic bond.
Barium is unlikely to form a positively charged ion because it is an alkaline earth metal with a strong tendency to lose electrons and form a 2+ ion.
Sodium ion (Na+) is a positively charged ion that forms when sodium atoms lose their outermost electron. Chloride ion (Cl-) is a negatively charged ion that forms when chlorine atoms gain an electron. The symbol for sodium ion is Na+ and for chloride ion is Cl-.
Charged particles that form when atoms gain or lose electrons are called ions. When an atom gains electrons, it becomes a negatively charged ion (anion). When an atom loses electrons, it becomes a positively charged ion (cation).
The oxygen atoms in the nitrate ion have a hybridization of sp.