Question

Test Review *Need Help Please!!!* Test tomorrow
Please explain why!

Of the following elements, the one that is most likely to form ionic bonds is :

a. hydrogen
b. carbon
c. sodium
d. oxygen

(can someone explain why... very confuzzled.

Answer 1

B. Basically, because of the number of valence electrons. Hope this video helps, my teacher showed it to me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnQe0xW_JY4

Answer 2

It is not b.

In order to create an \(ionic\) bond, you need to bring together two \(ions\) of different charge (that is one negatively and one positively charged).

Another way to reword the question would be: Which of these elements is easiest (needs the least energy) to ionize, or, more specifically, which of these can easily LOSE or GAIN an electron?

Now, you need to have a periodic table at hand and locate the position of these elements on it and know that elements form stable ions when their valence electron shell is completed - which is usually 8 electrons.

This will show you that there are 2 candidates; H and Na both have 1 valence electron. Now to identify which is more easily ionized you need to think about their atomic radius (and any inner electron shielding occuring). You'll see that Na has a larger radius (and more inner electron shielding) and thus the attraction between Na's nucleus and the valence electron is weaker than in H. We conclude that the element most likely to form an ionic bond here is Na.