Bonding & StructureKey Facts

Key Facts to Memorise

Part of Ionic BondingGCSE Chemistry

This key facts covers Key Facts to Memorise within Ionic Bonding for GCSE Chemistry. Revise Ionic Bonding in Bonding & Structure for GCSE Chemistry with 27 exam-style questions and 20 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 7 of 13 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

Topic position

Section 7 of 13

Practice

27 questions

Recall

20 flashcards

📌 Key Facts to Memorise

  • Ionic bonding = electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions
  • Occurs between metals and non-metals
  • Electrons are TRANSFERRED — NOT shared (that's covalent!)
  • Metals LOSE electrons → form POSITIVE ions (cations)
  • Non-metals GAIN electrons → form NEGATIVE ions (anions)
  • Group number = charge for Groups 1, 2, 6, 7 (with appropriate sign)
  • Both ions achieve full outer shells — like noble gas configurations
  • The bond is the attraction — there's no physical "stick" between ions

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.

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

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