Electronegativity & Metal/Nonmetal Compounds

As indicated by the table shown in the previous section and below, metals generally have low electronegativity values compared to nonmetals. Hence when metals react with nonmetals, the difference in their electronegativity values is sufficient to justify the generalization that metal atoms will "lose" their valence electrons and that nonmetal atoms will gain these electrons. This generalization is the basis for following guideline. Reactions between metals and nonmetals will usually result in the formation of ionic compounds.