Ionic Bonding Flashcards
Ionic Compounds
When a substance that forms when one atom donates an electron to another occurs between a non-metal and a metal.
Forming an Ionic Compound
The metal atoms donate their electrons to the non-metals forming cations.
Nonmetal atoms accept these electrons forming anions.
The electrostatic attraction between the cations and anions hold the lattice together, this is called ionic bonding
Properties
High melting and boiling points = the electrostatic attraction between the cations and anions in a lattice are strong, which means we need to add a lot of energy to change their state
Hardness and brittleness = The strong electrostatic forces mean that the crystal doesn’t like to be disrupted, which means it is hard, however because the cations and anions don’t slide over each other (like in a metal) it means they are brittle.
Brittleness: When sufficient force is applied they rather shatter instead of being dent or bend. If enough force is applied to part of an ionic lattice the force can cause sections of the lattice to slide in relation to other parts of the lattice. WHen this happens charged ions of similar charges become closer together this is where the repulsive forces exceed the attractive forces which fractures of breaks the ionic lattice.
Electrical Conductivity =
When the lattice is solid the charged particles are fixed and cannot move
When it is dissolved in water or melted, the charged particles are free to move
Some are soluble, others are not = solubility in water is dependent on electrostatic attraction in the lattice. If the particles in the lattice are more strongly attracted to each other than to the water, then it will not dissolve.
