Final answer:
An electrovalent, or ionic, bond is formed by the transfer of valence electrons from one atom to another, resulting in ions with opposite charges that attract each other. Sodium chloride (NaCl) is a classic example where sodium loses an electron to become Na+, and chlorine gains that electron to become Cl-, creating an ionic bond.
Step-by-step explanation:
An electrovalent bond, also known as an ionic bond, is the electrical attraction between ions with opposite charges that result from the transfer of valence electrons from one atom to another. In the process of forming an electrovalent bond, one atom (typically a metal) loses one or more valence electrons, becoming a positively charged ion. The other atom (typically a non-metal) gains those electrons to become a negatively charged ion. The positively charged and negatively charged ions are then attracted to each other due to their opposite charges.
For example, the common table salt, or sodium chloride (NaCl), is an example of an ionic compound. A sodium (Na) atom has one valence electron which it gives up to achieve a stable electron configuration, becoming a positively charged sodium ion (Na+). A chlorine (Cl) atom, on the other hand, needs an additional electron to complete its valence shell, so it accepts the electron from sodium, becoming a negatively charged chloride ion (Cl−). These two ions are then held together by an ionic bond to form NaCl.