Question

An element A reacts with element B to form a chemical compound AB. Element A has the atomic number 12, and element B has the atomic number 8. Explain the bond formation between AB.

a) Ionic Bond: Element A (Z = 12) donates electrons to Element B (Z = 8) to form a positively charged cation (A+) and a negatively charged anion (B-), resulting in an ionic bond.
b) Covalent Bond: Element A and Element B share electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, forming a covalent bond.
c) Metallic Bond: Element A (metal) forms a metallic bond with Element B, allowing electrons to move freely between atoms.
d) Hydrogen Bond: Element A (Z = 12) and Element B (Z = 8) interact through hydrogen bonding due to the difference in electronegativity.

Answer 1

An ionic bond forms between element A and element B to create compound AB, with A losing electrons to form a cation and B gaining electrons to form an anion, resulting in a solid crystalline ionic compound.

Step-by-step explanation:

The bond formation between element A (with atomic number 12) and element B (with atomic number 8) results in the formation of compound AB through an ionic bond. Element A, which we can deduce is a metal based on its atomic number, loses two valence electrons to form a positively charged cation (A2+). Element B, on the other hand, gains these two electrons to form a negatively charged anion (B2-). The resulting compound AB is stabilized by the strong electrostatic attractions between the oppositely charged ions, creating an ionic compound with solid crystalline properties.

For example, if element A were magnesium (Mg) and element B were oxygen (O), magnesium would lose two electrons to form Mg2+ ions, while oxygen would gain two electrons to form O2- ions. The resulting compound, MgO, would have a ratio of one Mg2+ to one O2-, forming a stable ionic solid.