Ionic refers to anything related to or derived from ions. Ions are charged particles that result when an atom loses or gains electrons, creating a positive or negative charge. In chemistry, ionic compounds form when metal atoms lose electrons and non-metal atoms gain them, resulting in the formation of positively and negatively charged ions which attract each other due to their opposite charges. Ionic processes are also used in everyday life such as water softeners that use ion exchange resins to remove calcium and magnesium ions from hard water making it softer.