What happens to the electrons in an ionic bond?

In an ionic bond, there is a transfer of electrons between atoms, typically between a metal and a nonmetal. This process involves a metal atom losing one or more electrons and becoming positively charged, while a nonmetal atom gains those electrons and becomes negatively charged. This transfer creates ions—the cation (positively charged ion) and the anion (negatively charged ion)—which are held together by the electrostatic forces of attraction between them.

The key to understanding ionic bonds is recognizing that metals tend to have low ionization energies, making it easier for them to lose electrons. In contrast, nonmetals have higher electron affinities, allowing them to readily accept electrons. Therefore, when a metal loses an electron and a nonmetal gains that electron, the result is a stable ionic compound formed by the resulting ions. This mechanism explains why the option describing a metal losing an electron and a nonmetal gaining it accurately captures the essence of an ionic bond.

The alternatives do not reflect this fundamental process. For example, stating that a metal gains an electron is incorrect because metals are typically electron donors in ionic bonding, while nonmetals gaining electrons is rightly part of the process, but does not account for the simultaneous loss of electrons by metals. The