U3S2 Ionic Bonds - Vocabulary Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to ionic bonds and ionic compounds from the notes.

Ionic bond

A chemical bond formed between a metal and a nonmetal that involves the transfer of electrons and attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Ionic compound

A compound formed when atoms transfer electrons and are held together by the electrical attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Crystal

A smooth solid formed by repeating patterns of ions, atoms, or molecules.

Property

A characteristic or quality of a substance.

Polyatomic ion

An ion made of two or more atoms of different elements that acts as a single charged unit.

Electrical force

The attraction between two oppositely charged ions or particles.

Octet rule

Most atoms need eight electrons in their valence shells to be stable (hydrogen and helium need two).

Octet

Eight electrons in the valence shell.

Ion

An atom or group of atoms with a positive or negative charge.

Electron transfer

The movement of electrons from one atom to another during ionic bonding, usually from a metal to a nonmetal.

Valence electrons

Electrons in the outermost shell that participate in bonding.

Metal

An element that tends to lose electrons to form positive ions.

Nonmetal

An element that tends to gain electrons to form negative ions.

Compound

A substance made from two or more elements chemically bonded in a fixed ratio.

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)

An ionic compound composed of Ca2+ and CO3^2-; common in seashells; overall neutral.

Calcium ion (Ca2+)

A positively charged ion formed when calcium loses two electrons.

Carbonate ion (CO3)^{2−}

A polyatomic ion with a 2− charge; part of calcium carbonate.

Crystal lattice

A repeating three-dimensional arrangement of ions in an ionic solid.

Dissolution in water

The process by which ionic compounds dissolve in water to form ions.

Conductivity

The ability to conduct electricity; ionic compounds conduct electricity when dissolved or melted.

Hard and brittle

A property of many ionic compounds: they are hard and tend to crack under stress.

High melting point

A characteristic of ionic compounds; they melt at high temperatures due to strong ionic bonds.

High boiling point

A characteristic of ionic compounds; they boil at high temperatures due to strong ionic bonds.

Solubility in water

The tendency of a substance to dissolve in water; many ionic compounds are soluble.

Salt

An ionic compound composed of a cation and an anion; often formed from the reaction of an acid and a base.

Sodium ion (Na+)

A positively charged sodium ion formed when sodium loses one electron.

Chloride ion (Cl−)

A negatively charged chloride ion formed when chlorine gains one electron.

Calcium chloride (CaCl2)

An ionic compound formed from Ca^{2+} and Cl− ions; example of an ionic compound.