Question

What happens to the total charge of the compound after the ions bond together?

Answer 1

Ionic compounds are compounds composed of ions, charged particles that form when an atom (or group of atoms) gains or loses electrons. (A cation is a positively charged ion; an anion is a negatively charged ion.) Covalent or molecular compounds form when elements share electrons in a covalent bond to form molecules.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

The total charge for the ionic compound must be neutral.

Step-by-step explanation:

An ionic bond is produced between metallic and non-metallic atoms, where electrons are completely transferred from one atom to another. During this process, one atom loses electrons and another one gains them, forming ions. Usually, the metal gives up its electrons forming a cation to the nonmetal element, which forms an anion. In this way, the octet rule is fulfilled, which establishes that the atoms of the elements bind each other in the attempt to complete their valence layer, leaving the atom stable with 8 electrons in its last layer.

In each ionic compound, the total number of positive charges of the cations is equal to the total number of negative charges of the anions. Therefore, ionic compounds are generally electrically neutral, although they contain positive and negative ions. In other words, the total charge for the ionic compound must be neutral. This means that the sum of the charges of the cations and anions must add zero.