Covalent compounds are characterized by covalent bonds with lower melting and boiling points, and they don't conduct electricity nor dissolve well in water.
Properties of Covalent Compounds
Covalent compounds feature atoms of nonmetallic elements bonded together by covalent bonds, where atoms share valence electrons. These compounds exhibit distinct properties compared to ionic compounds.
For instance, covalent compounds typically have lower melting and boiling points because the intermolecular forces are weaker than the ionic bonds in ionic compounds.
They are often softer and may be liquids or gases at room temperature. Unlike ionic compounds that can conduct electricity particularly when dissolved in water, covalent compounds are poor conductors due to their electrical neutrality.
This also contributes to their general insolubility in water, although this can depend on the molecule's polarity. Their flammability variates but tend to be more flammable than their ionic counterparts.