Final answer:
Metals form positively charged ions (cations) by losing electrons, while nonmetals form negatively charged ions (anions) by gaining electrons; this often leads to the formation of salts, which are ionic compounds made up of cations and anions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Metals tend to form positively charged ions known as cations. This happens because metals have a relatively low ionization energy, which makes it easier for them to lose electrons to achieve a stable electronic configuration, often achieving a complete valence shell following the octet rule. When metals lose electrons, they form cations with a characteristic positive charge.
Nonmetals, on the other hand, form negatively charged ions called anions. This is due to their higher ionization energies compared to metals, which means they gain electrons more readily than they lose them. When nonmetals gain electrons, they complete their valence shells, similarly adhering to the octet rule, resulting in the formation of anions.
In general, the combination of a metal and a nonmetal tends to produce a salt, an ionic compound consisting of cations and anions. Ionic bonding is the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged cations and negatively charged anions that creates crystalline lattices characteristic of salts.