Question

What properties characterize ionic compounds

Answer 1

Ionic compounds have a crystalline structure, are rigid and brittle, have high melting and boiling points, and exhibit poor conductivity in solid form but good conductivity when dissolved or melted.

Step-by-step explanation:

Ionic compounds, also known as salts, are compounds composed of ions held together by ionic bonds. Some properties that characterize ionic compounds include:

• Crystalline structure: Ionic solids have a regular arrangement of ions, forming a crystalline structure.
• Rigidity and brittleness: Ionic solids tend to be rigid and brittle due to the strong electrostatic forces between ions.
• High melting and boiling points: Ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points, indicating strong ionic bonds.
• Poor conductivity in solid form: Ions in an ionic compound cannot move freely in the solid state, making it a poor conductor of electricity.
• Good conductivity when dissolved or melted: Ionic compounds can conduct electricity when dissolved or melted due to the free movement of ions.

Answer 2

The atoms in a compound are held together by a chemical bond. The chemical bonds can be either covalent bonds or ionic bonds. Both the bonds are considered very strong bonds. These bonds are mainly formed by sharing of electrons or in the case when one of the elements making the compound donates electron to the other element. The nucleus of each atom attracts to form a strong bond. This property of attraction between the nucleus of the atoms actually helps in forming the chemical bonds.