What occurs during the formation of ionic bonds?

During the formation of ionic bonds, one atom loses electrons while another atom gains electrons. This transfer of electrons leads to the formation of charged particles known as ions: the atom that loses electrons becomes a positively charged cation, and the atom that gains those electrons becomes a negatively charged anion. The opposite charges of these ions create an electrostatic attraction between them, which holds the ions together in an ionic compound.

This process is a fundamental aspect of how ionic bonds are structured, particularly in compounds such as sodium chloride, where sodium donates an electron to chlorine, resulting in the formation of Na+ and Cl- ions. The stability of the resulting ionic compound arises from the strong attractions between these oppositely charged ions, which is a key feature of ionic bonding.