Final answer:
A large electronegative difference between a metal and a nonmetal results in an ionic bond, with complete electron transfer from the metal to the nonmetal leading to the formation of cations and anions.
Step-by-step explanation:
When there is a large electronegative difference between the two elements in a bond, particularly between a metal and a nonmetal, the electron from the metal is almost completely transferred to the nonmetal. This type of chemical bonding is termed as an ionic bond. Ionic bonds occur when there is an electronegative difference greater than 1.7, leading to the more electronegative atom attracting the shared electron pair far more strongly than the other, and therefore, electrons are fully transferred to the atom with the higher electronegativity. Consequently, the metal atom becomes a positively charged ion (cation) and the non-metal atom becomes a negatively charged ion (anion). The result is an ionic compound held together by strong electrostatic forces between the ions, which often arrange themselves into a crystal lattice structure.