Question

What is the ionic bond formation of lithium chloride?

Answer 1

Bonds are the basis through which atoms are held in a molecule. Bonds involve electrons, when electrons are shared between two atoms, it is called a covalent bond, while an ionic bond is formed when the transfer of electrons takes place between two atoms in a molecule.

Complete answer:
The ionic compounds are compounds formed when there is transfer of electrons between the atoms. The bonds formed in these compounds are termed as ionic bonds. The ionic bonds are found in between the metal and a non – metal.
The ionic bond formation takes place as metal consists of only one electron in their valence shell, while non – metals have only one electron deficient in their valence shell to reach the noble gas configuration. Therefore, the metal atom loses one electron and forms a cation to reach noble gas configuration. This electron is taken up by the non – metal, which forms an anion by accepting the electron from the metal to complete the noble gas configuration.
In lithium chloride, the lithium is the cation and chloride is the anion. Lithium has the configuration, $Li=1{{s}^{2}}2{{s}^{1}}$ with only 1 electron in valence shell, and chlorine has configuration, $Cl=[Ne]3{{s}^{2}}3{{p}^{5}}$, with only 1 electron needed. So, lithium becomes $L{{i}^{+}}$by losing 1 electron, and chlorine becomes $C{{l}^{-}}$by accepting electrons. So, the ionic compound, LiCl, is formed.
Hence, the ionic bond formation of lithium chloride involves transfer of electrons from lithium to chlorine and forming, $L{{i}^{+}}$and $C{{l}^{-}}$ in LiCl.

Note:
The non – metals when accepting electrons have ‘ide’ written at the end of their name. This is due to their more electronegative nature. So, chlorine becomes chloride. In LiCl, Li has an oxidation state of
+1 as it loses 1 electron, while Cl has an oxidation state of -1, as it gains electrons and is more electronegative.