e.g.

magnesium/calcium + oxygen ==> magnesium/calcium oxide MgO/CaO or ionic for

mula Mg2+O2 /Ca2+O2
In terms of electron arrangement in the formation of the ionic compound magnesiu
m oxide, one magnesium/calcium atom donates its two outer electrons to one oxyge
n atom.
This results in a double positive calcium ion to one double negative oxide ion v
ia electron transfer.
All the ions have the stable electronic structures 2.8.8 (argon like) or 2.8 (ne
on like). the valency of both calcium and oxygen is 2.
magnesium oxide
ONE atom combines withONE atom to form
Note in this electron diagram, only the original outer electrons are shown above
.
The two outer electrons of the magnesium atoms (2.8.2) are transferred to the ou
ter shell of the oxygen atom (2.6) until it has a complete octet shell of outer
electrons, just like a noble gas (2.8). At the same time, the magnesium ion also
attains a stable noble gas electron structure (2.8).
full electronic structure of magnesium oxide
For magnesium oxide: Mg (2.8.2) + O (2.6) ==> Mg2+ (2.8) O2

(2.8)

the stable 'noble gas' structures can be summarised electronically as [2,8] + [2

,6] ==> [2,8]2+ [2,8]2
so both the magnesium and oxide ions have a full outer shell like a noble gas
The electronic dot & cross Lewis diagram for the ionic bonding in magnesium oxid
e

calcium oxide
Ca (2.8.8.2) + O (2.6) ==> Ca2+ (2.8.8) O2

(2.8)

can be summarised electronically as [2,8,8,2] + [2,6] ==> [2,8,8]2+ [2,8]2

ONE atom combines withONE atom to form
Note in this electron diagram, only the original outer electrons are shown above
.
The two outer electrons of the calcium atoms (2.8.8.2) are transferred to the ou
ter shell of the oxygen atom (2.6) until it has a complete octet shell of outer
electrons, just like a noble gas (2.8). At the same time, the calcium ion also a
ttains a stable noble gas electron structure (2.8.8).
full electronic structure of calcium oxide
The electronic dot & cross Lewis diagram for the ionic bonding in calcium oxide

Magnesium oxide MgO, magnesium sulphide MgS and calcium sulphide CaS will be sim
ilar electronically and give identical giant ionic lattice structures.
Group 2 metals lose the two outer electrons to give the stable 2+ positive ion (
cation) and S and O, both non metals in Group 6, have 6 outer electrons and gain 2
electrons to form 2 negative ion (anion).
For magnesium sulphide: Mg (2.8.2) + S (2.8.6) ==> Mg2+ (2.8) S2
For calcium sulphide: Ca (2.8.8.2) + S (2.8.6) ==> Ca2+ (2.8.8) S2

(2.8.8)
(2.8.8)

so both the magnesium/calcium and sulfide ions have a full outer shell like a no
ble gas
The dot and cross (ox) diagrams will be identical to that for calcium oxide abov
e, except Mg instead of Ca (same group) and S instead of O (same group of Period
ic Table). eg
electronic structure of magnesium sulfide MgS
electronic structure of calcium sulfide CaS
The electronic dot & cross Lewis diagrams for the ionic bonding in magnesium sul
phide and calcium sulphide
Gp2\6 O
S
Mg
MgO
MgS
Ca
CaO
CaS
Sr
SrO
SrS
Ba
BaO
BaS
All the formula highlighted in yellow can be described in the same way as magnes
ium oxide, magnesium sulphide, calcium oxide or calcium sulphide
The Group 2 Alkaline Earth Metal atom loses two electrons to form a doubly charg
ed positive ion
The Group 6 non metal atom gains two electrons to form a doubly charged negative i
on