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Which statement about the bonding in magnesium oxide is correct? A There are strong covalent bonds between atoms - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry - Question 14 - 2022 - Paper 3
Question 14
Which statement about the bonding in magnesium oxide is correct? A There are strong covalent bonds between atoms. B There are strong covalent bonds between ions.... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Which statement about the bonding in magnesium oxide is correct? A There are strong covalent bonds between atoms - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry - Question 14 - 2022 - Paper 3
Step 1
D There are strong electrostatic forces between ions.
Answer
In magnesium oxide (MgO), the bonding is primarily ionic in nature. After magnesium loses two electrons, it forms a Mg²⁺ cation, while oxygen gains two electrons to form an O²⁻ anion. These oppositely charged ions are held together by strong electrostatic forces, which is characteristic of ionic compounds. Thus, option D is the correct statement regarding the bonding in magnesium oxide.