Why do atoms form ions?

Atoms form ions in order to gain positivity or negativity. Ions are groups of atoms that generally have a net electrical charge, and are formed when protons or electrons are gained or lost by an atom. read more

Metal atoms lose electrons to form positive ions and non metal atoms gain electrons to form negative ions. Sodium (Na) loses an electron to form Na+ and attains the electronic configuration of Neon (noble gas). Chlorine gains an electron to form Cl- and attains the electronic configuration of Argon (noble gas). read more

The problem is that thinking like this suggests that ions are more stable than the atoms that form them. That simply isn't true. Think about ionization energy. It requires the input of energy in order to remove an electron and make a positively charged ion. That ALWAYS means that the energy of a cation will be higher than the energy of an atom. read more