alleryStart learning →A binary ionic compound is built from which two kinds of element?
AA metal and a nonmetal
BTwo different nonmetals
CA metal and a noble gas
DTwo different metals
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. A metal and a nonmetal
1. Binary means the compound contains just two elements.
2. In an ionic compound the metal supplies the cations, because metals lose electrons readily.
3. The nonmetal supplies the anions, because nonmetals gain electrons readily.
4. Two nonmetals together bond covalently, and noble gases do not normally form these compounds at all.
_Source: OpenStax Chemistry (CC BY 4.0), Ch 7 "Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry", section The Formation of Ionic Compounds_
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