Properties of Ionic Compounds Flashcards
1
Q
What similar properties do ionic compounds have?
A
- High melting points
- They don’t conduct electricity when solid
- They do conduct electricity when molten or dissolved
2
Q
What explanation did chemists developed about the structure of ionic compounds to explain their properties?
A
- They have high melting and boiling points because the ions are held together by strong forces of attraction in a lattice
- They don’t conduct electricity when solid because the ions are fixed in place and can’t move
- They conduct electricity when molten (or dissolved) because the ions are free to move
3
Q
Why do many ionic compounds dissolve in water?
A
Because the water molecules are polar (have a positive and a negative end)
