* Electronegativity: Nonmetals have higher electronegativity than metals. This means they have a stronger attraction for electrons.
* Electron Gain: In ionic bonding, a nonmetal atom will gain one or more electrons from a metal atom to achieve a stable electron configuration (usually a full outer shell).
* Negative Charge: By gaining electrons, the nonmetal atom becomes negatively charged, forming an anion.
Examples of common nonmetal anions:
* Halogens (Group 17): Fluoride (F-), Chloride (Cl-), Bromide (Br-), Iodide (I-)
* Oxygen (Group 16): Oxide (O2-)
* Nitrogen (Group 15): Nitride (N3-)
* Sulfur (Group 16): Sulfide (S2-)
* Phosphorus (Group 15): Phosphide (P3-)
Important Note: While most anions are formed by nonmetals, some exceptions exist. For example, certain polyatomic ions can be negatively charged and contain both metals and nonmetals.
