Question

For each of the following compounds, state whether it is ionic or covalent. If it is ionic, write the symbols for the ions involved:

a) NaCl
b) CO₂
c) MgO
d) H₂S

Answer 1

NaCl and MgO are ionic compounds with Na+, Cl-, Mg2+, and O2- as their respective ions, while CO2 and H2S are covalent compounds formed from non-metal atoms.

Step-by-step explanation:

For each of the following compounds, we can determine if it is ionic or covalent based on the types of elements involved and the nature of the bonding between them.

• NaCl: Ionic compound. The ions involved are Na+ (sodium ion) and Cl− (chloride ion).
• CO2: Covalent compound. This is because it involves bonding between non-metal atoms.
• MgO: Ionic compound. The ions involved are Mg2+ (magnesium ion) and O2− (oxide ion).
• H2S: Covalent compound. It is formed by sharing electrons between hydrogen and sulfur atoms, both of which are non-metals.