What ions result when hydrogen donates one electron to fluorine?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the elements involved: hydrogen (H) and fluorine (F). Hydrogen has one electron, and fluorine has seven electrons in its outer shell.
2. Understand the electron transfer: when hydrogen donates one electron, it loses an electron and becomes a positively charged ion (cation).
3. Determine the ion formed by hydrogen after losing an electron: it becomes a hydrogen ion, represented as \(\mathrm{H}^{+}\).
4. Determine the ion formed by fluorine after gaining one electron: it gains an electron to complete its outer shell, becoming a negatively charged ion (anion), represented as \(\mathrm{F}^{-}\).
5. Conclude that the ions resulting from this electron transfer are \(\mathrm{H}^{+}\) (hydrogen ion) and \(\mathrm{F}^{-}\) (fluoride ion).

Key Concepts

Ionic Bond Formation

Ionic bonds form when one atom donates electrons to another, resulting in oppositely charged ions that attract each other. In this process, the donor atom becomes a positively charged ion (cation), and the acceptor becomes a negatively charged ion (anion).

Electron Transfer Between Hydrogen and Fluorine

When hydrogen donates one electron to fluorine, hydrogen loses an electron and becomes a hydrogen ion (H⁺), while fluorine gains an electron and becomes a fluoride ion (F⁻). This electron transfer leads to the formation of ions with opposite charges.

Charge and Ion Notation

Ions are represented with their chemical symbol followed by a superscript indicating their charge. For example, H⁺ indicates a hydrogen ion with a positive charge, and F⁻ indicates a fluoride ion with a negative charge, reflecting the gain or loss of electrons.