Shameeka is studying for an exam. She took the notes below about calcium and chlorine, which are known to form ionic bonds.

Question

Calcium, which is a metal, donates 2 electrons to chlorine.
The individual calcium atoms become ions with a negative 2 charge.
The bond between calcium and chlorine makes the atoms stable.
Calcium and chlorine attract each other.

Which best describes Shameeka’s error?

Calcium is a metal, so it donates protons, not electrons.
The individual calcium atom has a positive, not negative, 2 charge.
The bond formed makes the atoms unstable, not stable.
Calcium and chlorine repel, not attract, each other.

Answer 1

The best description of Shameeka’s error is:

The individual calcium atom has a positive, not negative, 2 charge.

Calcium donates two electrons to become a calcium ion (Ca²⁺), which has a positive 2 charge. This is a key detail that she misunderstood.