Which is most likely a covalent compound? LiF MgS NH3 CaCl2
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The most likely covalent compound among the options is NH3 (ammonia).
To explain why, let’s first understand the difference between ionic and covalent bonding:
- Ionic compounds are formed when electrons are transferred from one atom to another, typically between a metal and a nonmetal. This results in the formation of oppositely charged ions that are held together by electrostatic forces. Ionic bonds usually occur between elements with a large difference in electronegativity.
- Covalent compounds are formed when electrons are shared between atoms, typically between nonmetals. The atoms involved have similar electronegativities, which allows them to share electrons rather than transfer them.
Now, let’s analyze each of the given compounds:
- LiF (Lithium fluoride): This is an ionic compound. Lithium (Li) is a metal, and fluorine (F) is a nonmetal. Lithium tends to lose an electron and form a positively charged ion (Li+), while fluorine gains an electron to form a negatively charged ion (F−). The electrostatic attraction between the ions holds the compound together.
- MgS (Magnesium sulfide): Magnesium (Mg) is a metal, and sulfur (S) is a nonmetal. Magnesium forms a 2+ ion (Mg2+), and sulfur forms a 2− ion (S2−), making this another ionic compound.
- NH3 (Ammonia): Nitrogen (N) and hydrogen (H) are both nonmetals, and they share electrons to form covalent bonds. In ammonia, nitrogen shares one electron with each of the three hydrogen atoms. This electron sharing results in a molecule held together by covalent bonds.
- CaCl2 (Calcium chloride): Calcium (Ca) is a metal, and chlorine (Cl) is a nonmetal. Calcium loses two electrons to form a Ca2+ ion, and each chlorine atom gains one electron to form Cl− ions. Thus, this is also an ionic compound.
Therefore, NH3 is the most likely covalent compound because both nitrogen and hydrogen are nonmetals, which typically form covalent bonds.
