Which one of the following is an ionic compound?
a. ClO2
b. H2O
c. TiO2
d. SO2
e. CO2
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is c. TiO₂ (Titanium dioxide).
Explanation:
To determine which compound is ionic, we need to understand the nature of chemical bonding. Ionic compounds are formed by the transfer of electrons between a metal and a non-metal, creating positively and negatively charged ions that are held together by electrostatic forces.
Now, let’s analyze each option:
- ClO₂ (Chlorine dioxide) – This is a covalent compound because both chlorine (Cl) and oxygen (O) are nonmetals. Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons rather than transferring them.
- H₂O (Water) – Water is a covalent compound because hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) are both nonmetals, and they share electrons in covalent bonds.
- TiO₂ (Titanium dioxide) – This is an ionic compound because titanium (Ti) is a metal and oxygen (O) is a nonmetal. Titanium donates electrons to oxygen, forming Ti⁴⁺ and O²⁻ ions. The electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions makes TiO₂ an ionic compound.
- SO₂ (Sulfur dioxide) – This is a covalent compound because both sulfur (S) and oxygen (O) are nonmetals. The atoms share electrons rather than transferring them, which is characteristic of covalent bonding.
- CO₂ (Carbon dioxide) – Carbon (C) and oxygen (O) are both nonmetals, making CO₂ a covalent compound. The bonding occurs through electron sharing rather than ionic attraction.
Thus, TiO₂ (Titanium dioxide) is the only ionic compound in the list.