Final answer:
The chemist can test if the substance is an ionic compound by checking if the aqueous solution conducts electricity or by adding silver nitrate to the solution and observing if a precipitate forms.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine if the unknown white solid is an ionic compound, one simple test the chemist can perform is to see if the solution conducts electricity. Ionic compounds dissociate into ions when dissolved in water, and these ions allow the solution to conduct electrical current. So, if the solution conducts electricity, it is likely to contain an ionic compound. This process, known as dissociation, is indicative of a physical change and suggests that the compound is a strong electrolyte. For example, when sodium chloride (table salt) dissolves in water, it separates into sodium and chloride ions, which can carry electrical current. In contrast, molecular compounds like glucose dissolve but do not dissociate into ions, and thus their solutions do not conduct electricity.
Another approach is to add a reagent like silver nitrate to the solution of the unknown substance. If a white precipitate forms, this indicates the presence of certain ions (such as chloride or carbonate), which further suggests the substance is ionic.