Question 49

Ionic bond

When magnesium bonds with chlorine, it forms an ionic bond. This occurs because magnesium, a metal, donates electrons to chlorine, a nonmetal, resulting in the formation of charged ions that attract each other.

A) Covalent bond

A covalent bond involves the sharing of electrons between two nonmetals. Since magnesium is a metal and chlorine is a nonmetal, their interaction does not result in electron sharing but rather in electron transfer, making this option incorrect.

B) Metallic bond

A metallic bond occurs between metal atoms where electrons are shared in a "sea" of delocalized electrons. However, the bond between magnesium and chlorine is not a metallic bond, as it involves the transfer of electrons from magnesium to chlorine, not sharing among metal atoms.

C) Ionic bond

An ionic bond is characterized by the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, leading to the formation of oppositely charged ions. In this case, magnesium transfers two electrons to two chlorine atoms, resulting in Mg²⁺ and Cl⁻ ions, making this the correct choice.

D) Hydrogen bond

A hydrogen bond is a weak attraction that occurs between a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a highly electronegative atom and another electronegative atom. Since hydrogen bonds do not involve metals like magnesium and are not relevant in the context of magnesium and chlorine bonding, this option is incorrect.

Conclusion

The formation of an ionic bond between magnesium and chlorine is the result of the electron transfer process that creates charged ions. Other options, such as covalent, metallic, and hydrogen bonds, do not accurately represent the nature of the bond formed in this scenario, thus confirming that the ionic bond is the definitive answer.