Can an atom just lose one of it's valance electrons when forming an ionic bond?

Question

I know that magnesium has two valance electrons and becomes Mg(2+) when it loses it's electrons in an ionic bond, but can it become Mg(1+) by losing just one of it's electrons? Or is that impossible?

Answer 1

Well, you are getting in to a bit more complicated chemistry. For the question you are asking, the simple answer is No. However there are multi-valence ions, such as Oxygen. Normally Oxygen would gain 2 electrons making it O(2-) but it has another valence of 1 where it only gains one electron and becomes O(1-). By the sounds of it you are not at this point so don't worry about but you will get there eventually. In order to understand multi-valence you need a Periodic Table of Elements that lists all the valences of each element. This makes bonding harder, etc,etc so I wouldn't worry about it if I were you, yet.

So to simply answer your question, No, it is impossible for Magnesium

Answer 2

In Ionic bonding, when two ions bond, there are no lost charges. This only happens in polar covelant bonding and covelant bonding. Ionic bonding is a transfer of electrons from one ion to another. No charges change and the two ions are so polar opposite to each other the electrons transfer. For example, in water the charge scale is such that the charges balance and are shared.

Answer 3

yes an atom can loose just one electon.for exampla sodium(Na),it wil become Na+1 scince it has 11 electrons or lithium(Li) or any element in group 1.but we can't find Mg1+ alone or with ana element because it should satisfy the octet rule of the nearest inert gas or nobel gas.So in general the atom gain or loose electrons to become stable.no valence electrons.this can done either by covalent or ionic bond.

Answer 4

i believe that there is more than more ion formed by each element, but certain ones are more likely because they require less ionization energy.it is more likely for magnesium to form a +2 ion because it has 2 more elctrons than a noble gas and it wants to become stable and become a noble gas, but i think that a +1 ion is possible just not common

Answer 5

Sorry, sensei. I have forgotten. Please accept my apologies.