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Bonding & StructureExam Tips

Exam Tips for Ionic Bonding

Part of Ionic Bonding · GCSE GCSE Chemistry revision

This exam tips covers Exam Tips for Ionic Bonding within Ionic Bonding for GCSE Chemistry. Revise Ionic Bonding in Bonding & Structure for GCSE Chemistry with 35 exam-style questions and 20 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 14 of 16 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.

Topic position

Section 14 of 16

Practice

35 questions

Recall

20 flashcards

💡 Exam Tips for Ionic Bonding

🎯 Common Question Types:

  • Draw dot-cross diagram for NaCl, MgO or MgCl₂ (2-4 marks)
  • Explain what ionic bonding is (2-3 marks)
  • State the charge on ions of named elements (1 mark each)
  • Write the formula of an ionic compound from its ions

📝 Key Command Words:

  • State/Name: One-word or short phrase answer
  • Explain: Give the mechanism — transfer, ions form, electrostatic attraction
  • Draw: Dot-cross diagram with brackets and charges
  • Compare: State both ionic AND covalent features side by side

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid:

  • Saying electrons are "shared" in ionic bonding — they are TRANSFERRED
  • Forgetting square brackets and charges on dot-cross diagrams
  • Saying "the bond is the electrons" — the bond IS the electrostatic attraction
  • Showing inner electron shells in dot-cross diagrams — outer shell only!
  • Getting charges wrong: remember metals are positive, non-metals are negative

Keep building this topic

Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Ionic Bonding. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Exam FocusWorked Model AnswerThe Great Electron ExchangeElectron Transfer: Na → Na⁺ and Cl → Cl⁻

Practice Questions for Ionic Bonding

Which combination of elements forms an ionic compound?

  • A. Sodium and chlorine
  • B. Carbon and hydrogen
  • C. Nitrogen and oxygen
  • D. Carbon and oxygen
1 markfoundation

Describe the structure of an ionic compound and explain why ionic compounds have high melting points. [3 marks]

3 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

What is an anion?
A negative ion (formed when non-metals gain electrons)
What is a cation?
A positive ion (formed when metals lose electrons)

35 questions on Ionic Bonding — practise free

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Worked Model Answer