How does magnesium and chlorine form a compound?

Answer 1

Magnesium and chlorine form a compound through an ionic bond. Magnesium, a metal, has two valence electrons that it can lose, while chlorine, a nonmetal, has seven valence electrons and requires one more to achieve a stable octet. When magnesium loses its two electrons, it becomes a positively charged ion (Mg²⁺), and when two chlorine atoms each gain one electron, they become negatively charged ions (Cl⁻). The electrostatic attraction between the positively charged magnesium ion and the negatively charged chloride ions results in the formation of magnesium chloride (MgCl₂).