What happens when atoms from group IA combine with atoms from group VII?

Question

Luna Chen · Accepted Answer

see below

I'll assume you mean group VII A. In general, when a metal from group IA (ionic charge #1+#) forms a bond with a nonmetal from group VIIA (ionic charge #1-#), there will be a #1:1# ratio of the atoms in one formula unit of the compound. The metal will give up its lone outer-shell electron and nearly completely transfer it to the halogen so that both atoms achieve an octet of valence electrons. For example, when a atom of potassium (#K#) bonds with an iodine (#I#) atom, the resulting compound is #KI# (potassium iodide), and it results when the potassium atom donates its lone electron in its #4s# subshell to iodine, which only needs one more electron to fill its valence shell.

Olivia Anton · Answer

undefined Ionic compounds, usually salts, are formed when atoms from group IA and group VII combine. The group IA atom loses one electron to become a cation, while the group VII atom gains one electron to become an anion. The compound that results is made up of positively and negatively charged ions held together by electrostatic forces.