Aluminum oxide (Al2O3) is primarily considered an ionic compound. This determination arises from the nature of the bond formed between aluminum and oxygen atoms. Aluminum (Al) is a metal, and oxygen (O) is a non-metal.
In ionic compounds, electrons are transferred from the metal atom to the non-metal atom, resulting in the formation of charged ions. In the case of Al2O3, aluminum loses three electrons to become a positively charged ion (Al3+), while oxygen gains two electrons to form negatively charged oxide ions (O2-). The electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions forms an ionic bond.
To name Al2O3, we follow the standard rules for naming ionic compounds. The name consists of the metal’s name followed by the name of the non-metal with its ending changed to ‘-ide.’ Therefore, Al2O3 is named aluminum oxide.