Here's why:
* Ionic compounds are formed by the electrostatic attraction between positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions).
* Cations are formed when an atom loses electrons, gaining a positive charge.
* Anions are formed when an atom gains electrons, gaining a negative charge.
Examples of ionic compounds:
* Sodium chloride (NaCl): Sodium (Na) loses an electron to become a cation (Na+), and chlorine (Cl) gains an electron to become an anion (Cl-), forming a stable ionic compound.
* Calcium oxide (CaO): Calcium (Ca) loses two electrons to become a cation (Ca2+), and oxygen (O) gains two electrons to become an anion (O2-), forming an ionic compound.
It's important to note that covalent compounds are formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms, and they don't have distinct positive and negative charges.
