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Concept

ionic bond

A molecular structure with a central white sphere connected to two smaller black spheres by thin rods, surrounded by a misty, ethereal background, symbolizing the concept of an ionic bond.

A bond formed when one atom transfers an electron outright to another, leaving a positive ion and a negative ion held together by electrostatic attraction. Ionic compounds tend to form crystalline lattices rather than discrete molecules — every sodium in a salt crystal is bound equally to six chlorines. They are strong but brittle, and most dissolve in water, which pulls the ions apart.

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