What Happens:
* Sharing or Transferring Electrons: The fundamental change is the sharing or transferring of electrons between the atoms of the elements.
* Stability: Atoms try to achieve a stable electron configuration, usually resembling the noble gases, which have full outer shells.
* New Substance: The resulting compound has entirely different properties than the original elements. Think of water (H₂O) – it's very different from hydrogen gas (H₂) and oxygen gas (O₂).
Types of Chemical Bonding:
* Ionic Bonding: One atom (usually a metal) loses electrons, becoming a positively charged ion (cation), and another atom (usually a nonmetal) gains those electrons, becoming a negatively charged ion (anion). These oppositely charged ions are then attracted to each other, forming the ionic compound.
* Covalent Bonding: Two or more nonmetal atoms share electrons to achieve a stable outer shell. This results in a molecule.
Examples:
* Sodium Chloride (NaCl) - Ionic Bonding: Sodium (Na) loses an electron to become Na+, while chlorine (Cl) gains an electron to become Cl-. The resulting ions attract and form sodium chloride, a table salt.
* Water (H₂O) - Covalent Bonding: Two hydrogen atoms each share an electron with an oxygen atom, forming covalent bonds.
In summary, when elements form compounds, they chemically bond by sharing or transferring electrons to achieve stability. This results in a new substance with entirely different properties.
