Question

Most ionic compounds have:
This question has multiple correct options.
A. High melting points and lower boiling points
B. High melting points and nondirectional bonds
C. High solubilities in polar solvents and low solubilities in nonpolar solvents
D. Three-dimensional network structures, and are good conductors of electricity in the molten state

Answer 1

Hint: You should know that an ionic compound is a chemical compound composed of ions held together by electrostatic forces termed ionic bonding. An ionic compound is neutral overall but consists of positively charged ions called cations and negatively charged ions called anions. Now try to answer this question accordingly.

Complete step by step answer:
Let’s discuss some of the properties of ionic solids to answer this question -
- The chemical bond formed between two or more atoms as a result of the complete transfer of one or more electrons from one atom to another is called an Ionic bond.
- Electrostatic forces between particles are strongest when the charges are high, and the distance between the nuclei of the ions is small. In such cases, the compounds generally have very high melting and boiling points and low vapour pressure.
- In solid-state, it does not have free ions and is thus a bad conductor of electricity. Above the melting point of the compound, ionic solids melt and become molten salts. In a fused state or aqueous solution, due to free ions, they are good conductors of electricity.
- These are highly soluble in water (polar solvents) as like dissolves like.
- Ionic bonds are non-directional because an ion has the same attraction from all directions for an ion of opposite charge. It means that packing efficiency in the crystal lattice determines the arrangement of ions in a crystal.
- In an ionic compound, there is a three-dimensional network of alternating cations and anions.

Therefore, we can conclude that the correct answers to this question are option B, C, and D.

Note: You should also know that in ionic compounds, electrons are tightly held by the ions, and the ions cannot move translationally relative to each other. This explains many properties of ionic solids. Table salt, NaCl, is an example of an ionic solid.