Lewis Structures

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In ionic compounds, nonmetals try to gain electrons so that their Lewis structure has eight dots around it.

In ionic compounds, metals try to lose electrons until their Lewis structure has no dots around it.

Ion: An atom that has gained or lost electrons and has thus become electrically charged.

Positively charged ions keep the same name as the atom from which they came. Negatively ions, on the other hand, have an "ide" ending after the atom from which that they came.

Electrons are negative, so the atoms that gain electrons (nonmetals) will develop negative charges and the atoms that lose electrons (metals) will develop positive charges.

IF THE CHARGES HAVE THE SAME NUMERICAL VALUE, THEN THE SUBSCRIPT FOR EACH ION IS "1" AND CAN THEREFORE BE IGNORED.

IF THE CHARGES HAVE DIFFERENT NUMERICAL VALUES DROP THE "+" AND "-" SIGNS, SWITCH THE NUMBERS, AND USE THEM AS SUBSCRIPTS.