Ceist Eile

Ceist Eile is in development. Features, questions and prices may change while we refine it.

Subjects · Leaving Cert Chemistry

Leaving Cert Chemistry: Ionic bonding

How often Ionic bonding comes up on the Chemistry papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

OL Asked on 8 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

June 2027 is the first exam on the new Chemistry course. These come from the 2016–2026 papers, so read them as a guide.

Ionic bonding, Ordinary Level(6 marks)

Quick ones on Ionic bonding.

(a)Formula of sodium oxide?
  1. NaO
  2. Na2O
  3. NaO2
(b)When a sodium atom forms an ion it?
  1. Loses one proton
  2. Gains one electron to form Na-
  3. Loses one electron to form Na+
(c)Charge on an oxide ion?
  1. 2-
  2. 1-
  3. 2+
Show the answers

(a) Na2O

(b) Loses one electron to form Na+

(c) 2-

Your turn: Ordinary Level questions on Ionic bonding.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 8 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Not asked
2025Q11(b)
2024Q4(b)
2023Q10(a)
2022Q5
2021Q5
2019Q5
2018Q5
2017Q7
2016Not asked

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Ionic bonding questions

Ionic bonding, 2 marks

An ionic bond forms when?

  1. A pair of electrons is shared between two atoms
  2. Protons are shared between the nuclei of two atoms
  3. Electrons are transferred from one atom to another
Show the answer

Electrons are transferred from one atom to another

A metal atom loses electrons and a non-metal atom gains them. The oppositely charged ions then attract.

Ionic bonding, 2 marks

Charge on the ion formed by a group 17 element such as chlorine?

  1. 7-
  2. 1-
  3. 1+
Show the answer

1-

Group 17 atoms have 7 outer electrons and gain one to fill the outer shell, forming ions with a 1- charge.

Other Chemistry topics

All of Leaving Cert Chemistry