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What is the type of bonding present in the compound aluminum oxide (Al2O3)? Is it ionic, covalent, or metallic? Please provide a detailed explanation.

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Aluminum oxide  Al2O3  is a compound formed between aluminum  Al  and oxygen  O  elements. To determine the type of bonding present in this compound, we need to consider the electronegativity difference between the two elements involved.Aluminum is a metal with an electronegativity value of 1.61, while oxygen is a non-metal with an electronegativity value of 3.44. The electronegativity difference between Al and O is 3.44 - 1.61 = 1.83.In general, the type of bonding can be determined based on the electronegativity difference:1. Ionic bonding occurs when the electronegativity difference is greater than 1.7. In this case, electrons are transferred from the less electronegative element  usually a metal  to the more electronegative element  usually a non-metal , resulting in the formation of positive and negative ions that are held together by electrostatic forces.2. Covalent bonding occurs when the electronegativity difference is less than 1.7. In this case, electrons are shared between the two atoms involved, forming a covalent bond.3. Metallic bonding occurs between metal atoms, where electrons are delocalized and shared among a lattice of metal cations.Since the electronegativity difference between Al and O is 1.83, which is greater than 1.7, the bonding in aluminum oxide  Al2O3  is primarily ionic. In Al2O3, aluminum loses three electrons to form Al3+ ions, and oxygen gains two electrons to form O2- ions. The electrostatic attraction between these positive and negative ions forms the ionic bond in aluminum oxide.
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