Question #e7d14

1 Answer
Oct 11, 2017

An ionic bond exists between Mg and O in MgO.

Explanation:

As a very general rule, if a metal, like magnesium, is bonded to a nonmetal, like oxygen, the two will form an ionic bond.

In an ionic bond, one or more atoms lose electrons and gain a positive charge. These are called cations. One or more atoms pick up electrons and gain a negative charge. These are called anions.

One or more cations form ionic bonds with one or more anions in a way that their respective positive and negative charges cancel.

O is -2 (gains 2 electrons) and Mg is +2 (loses 2 electrons), so their charges cancel.