* Iron (Fe) is a metal, and metals tend to lose electrons to form positively charged ions (cations). In this case, iron loses three electrons to become Fe³⁺.
* Chlorine (Cl) is a nonmetal, and nonmetals tend to gain electrons to form negatively charged ions (anions). Chlorine gains one electron to become Cl⁻.
Since iron loses electrons and chlorine gains them, an electrostatic attraction forms between the positively charged iron ion and the negatively charged chloride ions, resulting in an ionic bond.
