why do ionic bonds form between metals and nonmetals?

Ionic bonds form between metals and nonmetals because metals tend to lose electrons to achieve a stable electronic configuration, while nonmetals tend to gain electrons for the same reason. Metals, which have few electrons in their outer shell, lose these electrons easily to become positively charged ions (cations). Nonmetals, which have nearly full outer shells, gain these electrons to become negatively charged ions (anions). The resulting oppositely charged ions are attracted to each other by strong electrostatic forces, forming an ionic bond. This electron transfer allows both metals and nonmetals to attain a more stable electron arrangement, usually resembling the nearest noble gas configuration. For example, sodium (a metal) loses one electron to form Na+, and chlorine (a nonmetal) gains that electron to form Cl-, and their attraction forms sodium chloride (NaCl), an ionic compound. This process is driven by the significant difference in electronegativity between metals and nonmetals, which favors electron transfer rather than sharing.