Here's why:
* Ionic bonds form between a metal and a nonmetal.
* Metals tend to lose electrons, becoming positively charged ions (cations).
* Nonmetals tend to gain electrons, becoming negatively charged ions (anions).
* The opposite charges of the ions attract each other strongly, forming the ionic bond.
Example: In table salt (NaCl), sodium (Na) loses an electron to become a positively charged ion (Na+), and chlorine (Cl) gains an electron to become a negatively charged ion (Cl-). The electrostatic attraction between these ions forms the ionic bond.
