1. Ionic Compounds
Noadswood Science, 2012

2. Ionic Compounds To understand and be able to represent ionic bonding
Saturday, April 15, 2017
To understand and be able to represent ionic bonding

3. Appearance
The appearance of a substances (colour, state etc…) gives you the first clues about what it could be
However this is not that reliable – a big suspicious bag of white powder could be anything (it could be cocaine, it could be talcum powder, it could be rat poison)

4. Behaviour
The behaviour of a compound gives the next clues as to what it is – this is determined by the structure of the bonding within the substance…
Salt under a microscope

5. Ionic Bonding
When metals react with non-metals, electrons are transferred from the metal atoms to the non-metal atoms, forming ions – the resulting compound is an ionic compound
Consider reactions between metals and non-metals, e.g.
sodium + chlorine → sodium chloride
magnesium + oxygen → magnesium oxide
calcium + chlorine → calcium chloride
In each of these reactions, the metal atoms give electrons to the non-metal atoms – the metal atoms become positive ions and the non-metal atoms become negative ions

6. Ionic Bonding – Demo
There is a strong electrostatic force (generated by differences in electric charge) of attraction between these oppositely charged ions, called an ionic bond
Many ionic bonds in an ionic compound are arranged in giant lattice structures (a regular grid-like arrangement of atoms)

7. Ionic Compounds
Ionic bonds form when a metal reacts with a non-metal – metals form positive ions; non-metals form negative ions
Ionic bonds are the electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged ions (+ve and –ve)
The oppositely charged ions are arranged in a regular way to form giant ionic lattices (ionic compounds often form crystals as a result)

8. Lattice
In an ionic compound, millions and millions of ions are packed together in a regular cubic arrangement, joined by ionic bonds forming a giant 3D structure called a (giant) ionic lattice

9. Ionic Properties Ionic compounds have the following properties: -
High melting and boiling points - ionic bonds are very strong (a lot of energy is needed to break them) causing ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points
Conductive when liquid - ions are charged particles, but ionic compounds can only conduct electricity if their ions are free to move so ionic compounds only conduct electricity when dissolved in water or melted

10. Ionic Properties
Ionic compounds do not conduct electricity when they are solid because the ions are packed together and cannot move
When molten, however, the lattice breaks up and the ions are free to move (as there are charged particles they can carry an electric current)
Ionic compounds are usually soluble in water because water molecules have a slight electrical charge and can attract the ions away from the lattice – when dissolved, the ions are free to move and can carry an electric current

11. Ionic Properties
Ionic compounds are brittle – they shatter when they are hit
When the lattice is hit, a layer of ions is shifted so that ions with the same charges are lined up together
These like charges repel each other, thereby splitting the lattice

12. Ionic Properties Ionic Compound Properties Sodium Chloride NaCl
High melting point: 800ºC
Non-conductive in its solid state, but when dissolved in water or molten NaCl will conduct electricity
Magnesium Oxide
MgO
High melting point: 2,800ºC
Mg2+ and O2- ions have a greater number of charges, so they form stronger ionic bonds than the Na+ and Cl- ions in sodium chloride
As magnesium oxide stays solid at such high temperatures it remains non-conductive (high-temperature electrical insulation)

13. Salt Water Conductivity
Your task is to design an experiment to test if water / sugar water / salt water is a good conductor of electricity…
Explain using a diagram how you would test this
Taking a beaker add either the water, sugar water or salt water to it – stir the mixture and connect a circuit up – if the bulb lights the solution is able to conduct…

14. Salt Water Conductivity
Water and sugar water do not conduct, however salt water does – explain why this is the case…
Consider what is needed for the flow of electrical current…

15. Salt Water Conductivity
Salt dissociates into ions when it dissolves in water allowing conduction of an electrical current (the large salt crystals separates into smaller ions)
This process produces ions which can freely move, transferring electrical charges (and the flow of electrical current)
A solution can only conduct an electric current it it contains freely moving ions – water and sugar are both lacking in these

16. Soluble (Higher)
Some ionic compounds dissolve, whilst others do not (useful for forensice scientists when trying to identify ionic compounds)…
Sodium (Na); Potassium (K); and Ammonium (NH4) salts are soluble in water
Nitrates (NO3) are soluble in water
Most chlorides (Cl) are soluble in water, except silver and lead which are insoluble in water
Most sulfates (SO4) are soluble in water, except barium and lead which are insoluble in water (calcium is slightly soluble in water)
Most oxides (O), hydroxides (OH) and carbonates (CO3) are insoluble in water, except sodium and potassium which are soluble in water

17. Charges (Higher)
Different ions have different charges – the ionic compound must have a neutral charge… I II
III IV V VI
VII
VIII
Element example Na Mg Al C N O Cl He
Charge 1+ 2+ 3+ * 3- 2- 1- **
Ion symbol
Na+
Mg2+
Al3+
N3-
O2-
Cl-
*Carbon and silicon (group IV) usually form covalent bonds (sharing electrons)
**Elements within group VIII do not react with other elements to form ions

18. Charges (Higher)
Different ions have different charges – the ionic compound must have a neutral charge…
Na +Cl  NaCl (sodium chloride)
Mg + O  MgO (magnesium oxide)
Al + Cl  AlCl3 (aluminium chloride)
Na +O  NaO2 (sodium oxide)
Al + O  Al2O3 (aluminium oxide)
Na + N  NaN (sodium cyanide)

19. Charges (Higher)
Different ions have different charges – the ionic compound must have a neutral charge…
Na +Cl  NaCl (sodium chloride)
Mg + O  MgO (magnesium oxide)
Al + Cl  AlCl3 (aluminium chloride)
Na +O  NaO2 (sodium oxide)
Al + O  Al2O3 (aluminium oxide)
Na + N  NaN (sodium cyanide)

20. Charges (Higher)
Different ions have different charges – the ionic compound must have a neutral charge…
Na +Cl  NaCl (sodium chloride)
Mg + O  MgO (magnesium oxide)
Al + Cl  AlCl3 (aluminium chloride)
Na +O  NaO2 (sodium oxide)
Al + O  Al2O3 (aluminium oxide)
Na + N  NaN (sodium cyanide)

21. Properties Quiz

22. Summary Ionic compounds: - Form giant lattices
Are made of charged particles (ions)
Metal ions are +ve
Non-metal ions are –ve
Forces of attraction between the ions are very strong – ionic compounds have a high melting point and are solids at room temperatures
Some ionic compounds dissolve in water