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Ionic
bonding continued.
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| In the reaction between lithium and oxygen, lithium gives up its valence electron to the oxygen atom. As can be seen from the animation on the right two lithium atoms react with one oxygen atom. Each lithium atom gives one electron to the oxygen atom. The lithium atom can not possibly attract electrons to form a stable arrangement with its electrons. The valence electron is therefore pulled away from the lithium by the oxygen leaving the lithium in a more stable state of a full valence shell. The oxygen, having received two electrons, becomes negatively charged(2-) with a full valence shell. | |
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A reaction between a metal atom and a non-metal atom will produce ionic bonding. Metal atoms, with very low electronegativity, will give electrons to the non-metal atoms with very high electronegativity. This produces ions which attract each other and form 3 dimensional crystal structures.
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