Bonding by transfer of electrons, or ionic bonding, occurs between a metal and a nonmetal when one atom transfers electrons to another. Bonding among metals, or metallic bonding, occurs between metal atoms when the outermost electrons form an electron sea within the metal structure. Both types of bonding involve the attraction between positive and negative charges.
Bonding by transfer of electrons, also known as ionic bonding, occurs between atoms when one atom transfers electrons to another atom. This type of bonding typically occurs between a metal and a nonmetal. In ionic bonding, the metal atom loses electrons to become a cation, while the nonmetal atom gains electrons to become an anion. The resulting oppositely charged ions attract each other and form an ionic compound.
In contrast, bonding among metals, also known as metallic bonding, occurs between metal atoms. In metallic bonding, the outermost electrons of metal atoms are delocalized and form an electron sea within the metal lattice. These delocalized electrons are free to move throughout the metal structure, creating a strong attraction between the metal cations and the surrounding electron sea.
Both ionic bonding and metallic bonding involve the attraction between positive and negative charges, but the nature of the bonding and the types of compounds formed are different.