Home > Chemistry > Ionic Compounds

How do positive and negative ions form?

Answer 1

Wyatt Adkins

See below.

They form through Ionic bonding.

Elements gain or lose electrons to form ions and to gain full outer shells.

For example, let's look at Lithium and Fluorine:

Lithium has #3# electrons, so it needs to lose one to gain a full outer shell.

Fluorine would gain this electron to have #10# electrons, giving it #2# full outer shells.

The Lithium atom would turn into an #Li^+# ion with an electronic configuration of #2#, as an electron has a negative charge, losing one would give a positive charge.

The Fluorine atom would change to a #F^-# ion with an electronic configuration of #2,8# as it gains a negatively charged subatomic particle, so it turns negative as the atom of an element always has a charge of #0#.

This would form lithium fluoride as a result of this ionic bonding.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer 2

Kai Bowman

Positive ions form when an atom loses one or more electrons, leaving it with a net positive charge. Negative ions form when an atom gains one or more electrons, giving it a net negative charge.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.