Which statement best explains why a metal atom and a nonmetal atom are most likely to form an ionic bond? metal atoms have low ionization energy, and nonmetal atoms have high electronegativity, so electrons transfer easily from the nonmetal atom to the metal atom. metal atoms have low ionization energy, and nonmetal atoms have high electronegativity, so electrons transfer easily from the metal atom to the nonmetal atom. metal atoms have high ionization energy, and nonmetal atoms have low electronegativity, so electrons transfer easily from the nonmetal atom to the metal atom. metal atoms have high ionization energy, and nonmetal atoms have low electronegativity, so electrons transfer easily from the metal atom to the nonmetal atom.

Metal atoms have low ionization energy, and nonmetal atoms have high electronegativity, so electrons transfer easily from the metal atom to the nonmetal atom.

Explanation:

An ionic bond is formed when an element completely transfers its valence electron to another element. The element which donates the electron is known as electropositive element and the element which accepts the electrons is known as electronegative element. This bond is formed between a metal and an non-metal.

Electronegativity is defined as the property of an element to attract a shared pair of electron towards itself. Non metals have high electronegativity as they tend to attain stable configuration by gaining electrons.Example: Chlorine

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove the most loosely bound electron from a gaseous atom.Metals have low ionization energy as they tend to attain stable configuration by losing the valence electrons. Example: Sodium