Which type of chemical bond is formed by the complete transfer of one or more…

Concept

Chemical bonds can be classified by the way atoms handle their valence electrons.

Sharing electron pairs produces covalent bonding, while electron transfer produces oppositely charged ions whose electrostatic attraction is ionic bonding.

Application

The stem specifies complete transfer of one or more electrons from one atom to another. The donor becomes a positively charged cation and the recipient becomes a negatively charged anion; the attraction between these ions is an ionic bond.

Contrast

• Metallic bond: valence electrons are delocalized across a lattice of metal cations.

• Coordinate bond: the bonded pair is shared, although both electrons in that pair are supplied by one atom.

• Covalent bond: one or more electron pairs are shared between atoms.

Cross-check

For example, sodium can lose one electron to form Na+ and chlorine can gain it to form Cl−. Their opposite charges then attract, which matches the electron-transfer description.

Therefore, the bond described is an ionic bond.