Which substance is likely to form an ionic bond?

The formation of ionic bonds typically occurs between a metal and a nonmetal. In this scenario, the metal, which has a tendency to lose electrons, forms a cation (positively charged ion), while the nonmetal tends to gain electrons to form an anion (negatively charged ion). This transfer of electrons results in the electrostatic attraction between the oppositely charged ions, creating the ionic bond.

Metals are located on the left side of the periodic table and usually have low electronegativities, meaning they can readily lose electrons. Nonmetals, on the other hand, are found on the right side of the periodic table and possess higher electronegativities, making them more inclined to gain electrons. The interaction between these two types of elements facilitates the formation of stable ionic compounds.

In contrast, when two nonmetals are involved, they typically share electrons rather than transfer them, leading to covalent bonds. Similarly, two metals lack the necessary differences in electronegativity to form ionic bonds and generally form metallic bonds instead. Lastly, two gases, regardless of their elemental classification, would not form ionic bonds since gases at standard conditions do not readily engage in ionic interactions. Therefore, the pairing of a metal and a non