In ammonium chloride, the ammonium ion (NH4+) is a polyatomic cation, consisting of a nitrogen atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms. The chloride ion (Cl-) is a monatomic anion. The positive charge of the ammonium ion is balanced by the negative charge of the chloride ion, resulting in a neutral compound.
The ionic bond in ammonium chloride is formed when the ammonium ion donates an electron to the chloride ion. This creates an electrostatic attraction between the positively charged ammonium ion and the negatively charged chloride ion, holding the two ions together in a stable crystal lattice.
