To determine which pair of elements would form an ionic bond, we need to understand the nature of ionic bonding. An ionic bond is typically formed between a metal and a non-metal. Metals tend to lose electrons and form positive ions (cations), while non-metals tend to gain electrons and form negative ions (anions). The electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions forms the ionic bond.
Let's analyze each pair of elements:
1. Carbon ( \( C \) ) and Oxygen ( \( O \) ):
- Both carbon and oxygen are non-metals. Non-metals typically do not form ionic bonds with each other. They are more likely to form covalent bonds by sharing electrons.
2. Strontium ( \( Sr \) ) and Chlorine ( \( Cl \) ):
- Strontium is a metal, and chlorine is a non-metal. Metals and non-metals often form ionic bonds because the metal can transfer its valence electrons to the non-metal. This transfer forms a positively charged metal ion (cation) and a negatively charged non-metal ion (anion), which then attract each other to form an ionic bond.
3. Cesium ( \( Cs \) ) and Germanium ( \( Ge \) ):
- Cesium is a metal, but germanium is a metalloid. Metalloids typically exhibit properties between metals and non-metals, and they do not typically form ionic bonds with metals.
4. Magnesium ( \( Mg \) ) and Aluminum ( \( Al \) ):
- Both magnesium and aluminum are metals. Metals do not form ionic bonds with each other. They are more likely to form metallic bonds where electrons are shared in a 'sea' of electrons.
By examining the nature of the elements in each pair, the pair that would form an ionic bond is:
Strontium ( \( Sr \) ) and Chlorine ( \( Cl \) ).
So, the correct answer is:
Strontium ( [tex]\( Sr \)[/tex] ) and Chlorine ( [tex]\( Cl \)[/tex] ).
