The type of chemical combination that involves the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in the formation of oppositely charged ions, is ionic bonding.
In an ionic bond, one atom donates electrons to another atom. This happens when one atom has a stronger attraction for electrons than the other. The atom that donates electrons becomes positively charged (known as a cation), while the atom that receives the electrons becomes negatively charged (known as an anion).
The transfer of electrons occurs because atoms want to achieve a stable electron configuration, usually by having a complete outermost electron shell. By transferring electrons, atoms can achieve this stability. The resulting oppositely charged ions are attracted to each other due to the electrostatic force, forming an ionic bond.
For example, in the formation of table salt (sodium chloride), sodium (Na) donates an electron to chlorine (Cl). Sodium becomes a positively charged ion (Na+), and chlorine becomes a negatively charged ion (Cl-). The positive and negative charges attract each other, creating the ionic bond in sodium chloride.
Overall, ionic bonding involves the transfer of electrons, resulting in the formation of oppositely charged ions. This type of chemical combination is an essential concept in understanding various compounds and their properties.