Calcium chloride (CaCl2) is an ionic compound. This type of bond forms when one atom transfers electrons to another, resulting in the creation of charged ions.
In the case of CaCl2, calcium (Ca) is a metal that has two electrons in its outer shell. It tends to lose these electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration similar to that of noble gases. When calcium loses these two electrons, it becomes a positively charged ion (Ca2+).
Chlorine (Cl), on the other hand, is a non-metal with seven electrons in its outer shell. To achieve stability, chlorine needs one more electron. When a chlorine atom gains an electron from calcium, it becomes a negatively charged ion (Cl–). Since calcium loses two electrons, two chlorine atoms are needed to balance the charge, resulting in the formula CaCl2.
The electrostatic attraction between the positively charged calcium ions and the negatively charged chloride ions creates a strong ionic bond, which is characteristic of ionic compounds. Therefore, due to the complete transfer of electrons from calcium to chlorine in developing CaCl2, we classify it as an ionic compound.