Final answer:
Calcium (Ca) combined with fluorine (F) would produce the most ionic bond due to calcium's low electronegativity and willingness to lose electrons paired with fluorine's high electronegativity and tendency to gain electrons, resulting in the formation of calcium fluoride (CaF2).
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the elements mentioned, calcium (Ca) when combined with fluorine (F) would produce the most ionic bond. This is because calcium is an alkaline earth metal with an electronegativity much lower than fluorine's, making it eager to lose two electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration. On the other hand, fluorine is a halogen with the highest electronegativity value of any element and will readily accept electrons to fill its valence shell, forming a fluoride anion (F-).
Comparing to chlorine (Cl), another halogen, calcium's lower electronegativity and higher tendency to form a cation (Ca2+) contributes to a stronger ionic bond between Ca2+ and F- in calcium fluoride (CaF2). The result is a crystalline ionic compound that has a high melting point and exhibits typical ionic compound properties such as solubility in water and electrical conductivity when molten.
Calcium and fluorine together form a more ionic compound than chlorine and fluorine, which would likely share a more covalent character given their similar high electronegativities. Therefore, calcium is the correct answer to which element would produce the most ionic bond when combined with fluorine.