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 electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions holds the compound together.
Example: Sodium chloride (NaCl)
* Sodium (Na) loses an electron to become Na+
* Chlorine (Cl) gains an electron to become Cl-
* The attraction between Na+ and Cl- forms the ionic bond in NaCl.
