Property Appearance Melting Point Solubility in Water Ionic Compounds (e.g., Salt) Covalent Compounds (e.g., Sugar, Wax) Conductivity Discussion Questions: 1. Why do ionic compounds generally have higher melting points than covalent compounds? 2. What role do ions play in the conductivity of a solution? 3. Why do covalent compounds like wax not dissolve in water?
Answer (1)
Answer:1. Ionic compounds generally have higher melting points than covalent compounds because:- Ionic bonds are stronger due to electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.- More energy is required to break these strong bonds, resulting in higher melting points.1. Ions play a crucial role in the conductivity of a solution because:- Ions are charge carriers, allowing solutions to conduct electricity.- Positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions) move freely, carrying electrical charge.1. Covalent compounds like wax do not dissolve in water because:- Wax molecules are non-polar, lacking charged particles.- Water molecules are polar, making it difficult for non-polar wax molecules to interact and dissolve.Additional points:- Ionic compounds typically dissolve in water due to ion-dipole interactions.- Covalent compounds may dissolve in non-polar solvents or require specific conditions (e.g., heat, pressure).- Conductivity depends on the presence of ions or charged particles in a solution.Key differences between ionic and covalent compounds:Ionic Compounds- Typically crystalline solids- High melting points- Conductive in solution- Soluble in waterCovalent Compounds- May be solids, liquids, or gases- Lower melting points- Non-conductive in solution (except for polar covalent compounds)- Variable solubility in water
