Chemical Bonding:

The tendency of an atom to attract electrons is electron affinity.

• Metals generally have a low electron affinity.
   
• Nonmetals generally have a high electron affinity.

Electron affinity determines the type of bond formed between atoms.

 
Ionic bonds - electrons are transferred between atoms.

• One atom gains electrons while another atom loses electrons.
   
• The atoms become ions - one with a positive charge, the other with a negative charge.
   
• The force of attraction between these opposite charges holds the ions together in an ionic bond.
   
• Ionization - the process of removing an electron from an atom to form an ion.
   
• Ionization energy - the energy needed to remove an electron from an atom.