A Level Chemistry OCR Practice Exam 2026 – All-in-One Guide to Master Your Chemistry Exam!

Ionic bonding is characterized by the electrostatic attraction between positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions). This type of bonding typically occurs when one atom donates one or more of its electrons to another atom, resulting in the formation of ions. For example, in sodium chloride (table salt), sodium (Na) donates an electron to chlorine (Cl), leading to the formation of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions. These oppositely charged ions then attract each other, resulting in the ionic bond that holds them together in a crystalline structure.

In contrast, covalent bonding involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms, hydrogen bonding is a specific type of dipole-dipole attraction that involves hydrogen atoms bonded to highly electronegative atoms, and metallic bonding involves a sea of delocalized electrons that are free to move around, creating a structure of positively charged metal ions. Each of these types of bonding has distinct characteristics and mechanisms that differ from the attraction found in ionic bonding.