Which row describes the changes to the atoms when a metal and a non-metal react together?
| | Metal atoms | Non-metal atoms |
|---|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| A | Gain electrons to form anions | Lose electrons to form cations |
| B | Gain electrons to form cations | Lose electrons to form anions |
| C | Lose electrons to form anions | Gain electrons to form cations |
| D | Lose electrons to form cations | Gain electrons to form anions
Answer (2)
When metals react with non-metals, metals lose electrons to form cations, while non-metals gain electrons to form anions. The correct answer is option D. This process is fundamental to ionic bonding and the formation of ionic compounds.
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In high school chemistry, when a metal and a non-metal react together, they generally form an ionic bond. Here's how the process typically works:
Metal Atoms:
Metal atoms tend to have a small number of electrons in their outermost shell. They can achieve a stable electron configuration by losing these valence electrons.
When metal atoms lose electrons, they become positively charged ions known as cations. This is because they have more protons than electrons after the loss.
Non-metal Atoms:
Non-metal atoms typically have more electrons in their outer shell and are closer to filling their valence shell to achieve stability. They gain electrons to complete their outer shell.
By gaining electrons, non-metal atoms become negatively charged ions called anions. This occurs because they have more electrons than protons, making them negatively charged.
The correct description from the given options is:
D | Lose electrons to form cations | Gain electrons to form anions
Summary:
When a metal and a non-metal react, the metal atoms lose electrons to form positive ions (cations), and the non-metal atoms gain those electrons to form negative ions (anions). This transfer of electrons results in the formation of an ionic compound due to the electrostatic attraction between the oppositely charged ions.
