Ionic, Covalent and Metallic Substances: Properties Compared
Properties of Ionic, Covalent, and Metallic Substances
Ionic Substances
Thermal Stability: Ionic compounds are typically solid at room temperature and pressure due to strong electrostatic attractions between ions, resulting in high melting and boiling points. The greater the charge of the ions and the smaller the distance between them, the higher the melting and boiling points.
Solubility: Polar solvents can reduce the attractive forces between ions by interposing solvent molecules. Each ion becomes surrounded by solvent molecules (solvation). Solubility decreases with increasing charge of the ions. Therefore, substances containing Group IIA metals (alkaline earth metals) are generally less soluble than those formed by Group IA metals (alkali...