Compound containing positive and negative ions held together by electrostatic attraction
Structure of ionic compounds
Giant ionic lattice structure with strong electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged ions
Why are ball and stick diagrams not accurate
Atoms are not really perfect spheres
They don’t show the electrons
Atoms are far apart whereas in reality they would be much closer
Properties of ionic compounds
High melting and boiling points
Conduct electricity when molten or aqueous but not when solid
Brittle
When do ionic compounds conduct electricity and why?
Only when molten or aqueous
This is because substances need charged particles that are free to move in order to conduct electricity. When ionic compounds are solid they are in a fixed lattice so can’t flow
