Final answer:
Silver chloride is an ionic compound because it is formed by a metal (silver) bonding with a nonmetal (chlorine), where silver becomes a cation and chlorine becomes an anion, held together by ionic bonds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Silver chloride is an ionic compound because it consists of a metal (silver) bonding with a nonmetal (chlorine). In ionic bonding, typically, a metal atom loses electrons to become a positively charged cation, while a nonmetal atom gains those electrons to become a negatively charged anion. This electron transfer leads to the formation of oppositely charged ions that are held together by the electrostatic forces known as ionic bonds, resulting in compounds that are usually crystalline solids at room temperature. For instance, in the case of silver chloride (AgCl), silver loses one electron to become Ag+ and chlorine gains that electron to become Cl-, and these ions are arranged in a lattice structure, forming a stable ionic solid.