Ionic Compounds Simple Covalent Compounds

Property Reason Property Reason

They are crystalline 1. Ions are arranged in a regular
solids at room arrangement forming a lattice
temperature 2. Ions of the opposite charge are next
to each other, held by strong
electrostatic force of attraction.
They have high 1. Ions are held together by strong
melting and boiling electrostatic force of attraction.
points 2. To melt an ionic compound, a large
amount of heat is needed to break the
strong attractive forces holding the
ions together.
They are often 1. The charged ions attract the water
soluble in water but molecules, which disrupts the lattice
insoluble in organic structure, causing the ions to separate
solvents and go into the solution.
2. The ions do not attract molecules of
organic solvents and so the solid does
not dissolve.
They conduct 1. The ions are free to move in the
electricity when molten state or when dissolved in
molten or when water. The moving ions carry the
dissolved in water electric current.
but do not conduct 2. In solid state the ions are not free to
electricity in solid move so the current cannot flow.
state.
They are often liquid or 1. Simple covalent substances consist of
gases at room small molecules.
temperature 2. The forces between the molecules are
weak, the molecules are not held together
tightly as the particles in a solid, but are free
to move.
They have low melting 1. In simple covalent molecules, the covalent
and boiling points bonds between the atoms are strong.
However the forces between the molecules
are weak. These forces are easily broken.
2. Note that during melting or boiling, only the
molecules separate; the atoms in the
molecules do not separate.
They are usually Simple covalent molecules do not have
insoluble in water but charged ions, so they do not attract water
soluble in organic molecules. Hence they do not dissolve in
solvents such as petrol. water.
They do NOT conduct To conduct electricity substances must
electricity contain either ions or electrons that are free
to move. Simple covalent molecules contain
neither. So they do not conduct electricity.