What is the outcome when two atoms transfer electrons, resulting in the formation of charged particles?

When two atoms transfer electrons, they form charged particles known as ions. This process is characteristic of ionic bonding, where one atom donates one or more electrons to another atom. As a result of this transfer, the donating atom becomes a positively charged ion (cation), while the receiving atom becomes a negatively charged ion (anion).

The electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions is what creates the ionic bond. This type of bond is crucial in the formation of many compounds, such as table salt (NaCl), where sodium donates an electron to chlorine, resulting in the formation of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions.

This explanation highlights the nature of ionic bonds and how they contrast with other types of bonds, such as covalent bonds, where atoms share electrons, and metallic bonds, which involve a 'sea' of shared electrons among many atoms. A chemical reaction, though it may involve the formation of ionic bonds, is a broader term that encompasses any process where substances transform into different substances.