* Iron (Fe) is a metal and tends to lose electrons to form a positive ion (Fe³⁺).
* Chlorine (Cl) is a nonmetal and tends to gain electrons to form a negative ion (Cl⁻).
The electrostatic attraction between the positively charged iron ion and the negatively charged chloride ions results in the formation of an ionic compound.
The chemical formula for this compound is FeCl₃ (Iron(III) chloride).
