Which of the following compounds are likely to be ionic? Which are likely to be molecular?

[tex]CH_4, NaBr, BaF_2, CCl_4, ICl, CsCl, NF_3[/tex]



Answer :

To determine whether the compounds are ionic or molecular, we can follow a general guideline based on the types of elements involved:

Ionic compounds typically consist of a metal and a non-metal. In these compounds, electrons are transferred from the metal to the non-metal, resulting in oppositely charged ions that attract each other.

Molecular compounds usually consist entirely of non-metals. In these compounds, atoms share electrons to achieve a full outer shell of valence electrons.

Let's classify each of the given compounds:

1. [tex]$CH_4$[/tex] (Methane)
- This compound consists of carbon (a non-metal) and hydrogen (a non-metal).
- Likely to be molecular.

2. [tex]$NaBr$[/tex] (Sodium Bromide)
- This compound consists of sodium (a metal) and bromine (a non-metal).
- Likely to be ionic.

3. [tex]$BaF_2$[/tex] (Barium Fluoride)
- This compound consists of barium (a metal) and fluorine (a non-metal).
- Likely to be ionic.

4. [tex]$CCl_4$[/tex] (Carbon Tetrachloride)
- This compound consists of carbon (a non-metal) and chlorine (a non-metal).
- Likely to be molecular.

5. [tex]$ICl$[/tex] (Iodine Monochloride)
- This compound consists of iodine (a non-metal) and chlorine (a non-metal).
- Likely to be molecular.

6. [tex]$CsCl$[/tex] (Cesium Chloride)
- This compound consists of cesium (a metal) and chlorine (a non-metal).
- Likely to be ionic.

7. [tex]$NF_3$[/tex] (Nitrogen Trifluoride)
- This compound consists of nitrogen (a non-metal) and fluorine (a non-metal).
- Likely to be molecular.

Based on this classification, we can group the compounds:

Ionic Compounds:
- [tex]$NaBr$[/tex]
- [tex]$BaF_2$[/tex]
- [tex]$CsCl$[/tex]

Molecular Compounds:
- [tex]$CH_4$[/tex]
- [tex]$CCl_4$[/tex]
- [tex]$ICl$[/tex]
- [tex]$NF_3$[/tex]

Thus, the compounds classified as ionic are [tex]$NaBr$[/tex], [tex]$BaF_2$[/tex], and [tex]$CsCl$[/tex]. The compounds classified as molecular are [tex]$CH_4$[/tex], [tex]$CCl_4$[/tex], [tex]$ICl$[/tex], and [tex]$NF_3$[/tex].