Which Of The Following Is An Ionic Compound? A)CCI4 B)NH3 C)NO2 D)PF E)MgBr2
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is E) MgBr2.
Explanation:
An ionic compound is formed when one atom (typically a metal) donates electrons to another atom (typically a nonmetal), creating charged ions that are held together by strong electrostatic forces. These compounds generally form between elements with significantly different electronegativities.
Let’s break down each of the options:
- CCI4 (Carbon Tetrachloride):
- This compound consists of carbon (C) and chlorine (Cl), both nonmetals. Nonmetals typically share electrons rather than transferring them, so the bonding in CCl4 is covalent, not ionic. Therefore, CCl4 is not an ionic compound.
- NH3 (Ammonia):
- Ammonia is composed of nitrogen (N) and hydrogen (H), both of which are nonmetals. The bond formed between nitrogen and hydrogen is covalent because both atoms share electrons. Therefore, NH3 is a covalent compound, not ionic.
- NO2 (Nitrogen Dioxide):
- Nitrogen dioxide consists of nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O), both of which are nonmetals. Similar to NH3, the bond in NO2 is covalent, not ionic, because nonmetals tend to share electrons rather than forming charged ions. Hence, NO2 is not ionic.
- PF (Phosphorus Fluoride):
- Phosphorus (P) and fluorine (F) are both nonmetals, and the bond between them is covalent, not ionic. Nonmetals tend to form covalent bonds by sharing electrons. Thus, PF is a covalent compound, not ionic.
- MgBr2 (Magnesium Bromide):
- Magnesium (Mg) is a metal, and bromine (Br) is a nonmetal. Magnesium has a low electronegativity and readily loses two electrons to form a 2+ ion (Mg²⁺). Bromine, being a nonmetal with a higher electronegativity, gains one electron to form a Br⁻ ion. The electrostatic attraction between the Mg²⁺ and two Br⁻ ions forms an ionic bond. Therefore, MgBr2 is an ionic compound.
In summary, MgBr2 is the only ionic compound in the list due to the electrostatic forces between the metal cation (Mg²⁺) and nonmetal anions (Br⁻).