Final answer:
Ionic bonds contribute to the properties of ionic compounds, such as being hard, having high melting points, and conducting electricity when dissolved or melted due to the movement of ions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristics of ionic bonds can be related to the properties of ionic compounds such as conductivity, hardness, melting and boiling points, and solubility. Ionic bonds result from the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions. This electrostatic interaction is strong, leading to ionic compounds being hard and having high melting and boiling points. However, they are also brittle due to the ability of ionic layers to slide and repel each other when a force is applied. In the solid state, these compounds are poor conductors of electricity because the ions are fixed in place within a lattice structure. When dissolved in water or melted, ionic compounds exhibit high electrical conductivity since the ions are free to move and carry an electric charge.
The magnitude of the ionic charge and the size of the ions affect the strength of the ionic bonds. A greater charge and smaller ion size result in stronger bonds due to closer proximity and stronger electrostatic forces, typically measured as lattice energy. The conductivity of ionic compounds, especially when in solution, can be used as a simple experimental measure of their ionic nature, and this is clearly demonstrated in experiments where dissolved or melted ionic compounds allow electricity to flow, lighting up a bulb.