Question

When oxygen and calcium form an ionic bond, what is the formula? o2ca2 oca ca2o2 cao

Answer 1

Calcium has a 2+ charge and Oxygen has a 2- charge.

To get the formula you have to balance the charges so that it's neutral. In this case a 2- and 2+ charge cancel each other out making the formula CaO.

Answer 2

Answer:
`CaO`

Step-by-step explanation:

For formation of a neutral ionic compound, the charges on cation and anion must be balanced. The cation is formed by loss of electrons by metals and anions are formed by gain of electrons by non metals.

Here calcium is having an oxidation state of +2 called as
`Ca^(2+)` cation and oxide
`O^(2-)` is an anion with oxidation state of -2. Thus they combine and their oxidation states are exchanged and written in simplest whole number ratios to give neutral
`CaO`.

The cations and anions being oppositely charged attract each other through strong coloumbic forces and form an ionic bond.