Is benzoic acid an ionic or covalent compound?
The correct answer and explanation is:
Benzoic acid (C7H6O2) is a covalent compound. This is because it consists of molecules held together by covalent bonds, in which atoms share electrons.
In benzoic acid, the carbon atoms form a benzene ring, where six carbon atoms are bonded in a hexagonal structure. Each carbon atom shares electrons with its adjacent carbon atoms through covalent bonds. Additionally, the hydrogen atoms are covalently bonded to the carbon atoms. The functional group in benzoic acid is the carboxyl group (-COOH), which consists of a carbonyl group (C=O) and a hydroxyl group (OH). Both the carbonyl and hydroxyl groups are also held together by covalent bonds. The oxygen atom in the carbonyl group shares electrons with the carbon atom, and the hydrogen atom in the hydroxyl group shares electrons with the oxygen atom.
The key characteristic of covalent compounds is that the atoms share electrons to achieve stable electron configurations, unlike ionic compounds where electrons are transferred from one atom to another, forming charged ions. In benzoic acid, no transfer of electrons occurs between atoms to form ions; instead, the atoms are joined by shared electron pairs.
While benzoic acid can dissociate in water to release H+ ions and form an acidic solution, the dissociation itself is a process of ionization, not a result of the compound being ionic in nature. In its solid state, benzoic acid remains a covalent compound, with molecules held together by covalent bonds rather than ionic interactions. Thus, the compound is best classified as covalent, even though it can produce ions in solution.