properties of ionic compounds

Front

What are ionic compounds?

Back

Ionic compounds are chemical compounds composed of ions held together by electrostatic forces termed ionic bonding. They typically form between metals and nonmetals.

Front

What is an ionic bond?

Back

An ionic bond is a type of chemical bond that occurs when one atom transfers electrons to another atom, resulting in the formation of positively and negatively charged ions.

Front

What determines the strength of ionic bonds?

Back

The strength of ionic bonds depends on the types of ions involved, specifically their charges and sizes.

Front

What is lattice energy?

Back

Lattice energy is the amount of energy released when one mole of an ionic crystalline compound is formed from its gaseous ions. It is a measure of the strength of the forces between the ions.

Front

How does the size of ions affect ionic bond strength?

Back

Smaller ions can get closer together, leading to stronger ionic bonds due to increased electrostatic attraction.

Front

What is a crystal lattice?

Back

A crystal lattice is an orderly, repeating three-dimensional arrangement of ions, atoms, or molecules in a solid.

Front

What is the melting point of ionic compounds generally like?

Back

Ionic compounds typically have high melting points due to the strong electrostatic forces between the ions.

Front

Why does NaCl have a melting point of about 800°C?

Back

The high melting point of NaCl is due to the strong ionic bonds between Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions.

Front

What is the relationship between ionic bond strength and lattice energy?

Back

Generally, the greater the lattice energy, the stronger the ionic bond, as it indicates a stronger attraction between the ions.

Front

How does the charge of ions affect ionic bond strength?

Back

Ionic bonds are stronger when the ions have higher charges, as the electrostatic force of attraction increases with charge.