Ionic bonding

Question 1

What is ionic bonding?

Answer 1

The electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions in a lattice.

Question 2

What is an ion?

Answer 2

An atom or molecule with an overall charge

Question 3

State the formula of the compound ions: ammonium, carbonate, hydroxide, nitrate and sulfate and their charge.

Answer 3

Ammonium: NH4 +
Carbonate: CO3 2-
Hydroxide: OH-
Nitrate: NO3 -
Sulfate: SO4 2-

Question 4

What are the properties of ionic bonding?

Answer 4

Electrical conductivity: they cannot conduct electricity when solid but can when molten/dissolved since the ion is free to carry the charge

Melting point: they have a high melting point because of the strong electrostatic forces that requires lots of energy to overcome

Solubility: Ionic compounds tend to dissolve in water because water is a polar molecule. However, for some ionic substances (like aluminium oxide) the electrostatic forces of attraction are so strong that water cannot break up the lattice so there’s not enough energy. This means the compound is insoluble in water.

Question 5

What structure do ionic compounds have?

Answer 5

Giant ionic lattices