Calcium sulfate is ionic or covalent bond
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Calcium sulfate (CaSO₄) forms an ionic bond. This is because it consists of a metal ion (Ca²⁺) and a polyatomic ion (SO₄²⁻), which are held together by electrostatic forces. Here’s why:
- Calcium (Ca) Ionization: Calcium is a metal from Group 2 of the periodic table, and metals typically form cations by losing electrons. Calcium loses two electrons to form a Ca²⁺ ion. This loss of electrons results in a positively charged ion.
- Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) Ion: The sulfate ion is a polyatomic ion composed of one sulfur atom covalently bonded to four oxygen atoms. This group carries a 2− charge because oxygen atoms tend to attract electrons more strongly than sulfur, resulting in an overall negative charge on the ion.
- Electrostatic Attraction: In calcium sulfate, the positively charged calcium ion (Ca²⁺) is attracted to the negatively charged sulfate ion (SO₄²⁻) by strong electrostatic forces. This type of attraction is characteristic of ionic bonds, where oppositely charged ions are held together.
- Nature of Ionic Bonding: Ionic bonding occurs when there is a significant difference in electronegativity between the two atoms involved. In this case, the difference between calcium (with a lower electronegativity) and the sulfate ion (which involves oxygen, a much more electronegative element) is large enough to result in the transfer of electrons from calcium to the sulfate ion.
- Properties: Because calcium sulfate is an ionic compound, it has typical ionic properties, such as a high melting point, solubility in water, and the ability to conduct electricity when dissolved or melted.
In summary, calcium sulfate is an ionic compound because it is formed through the electrostatic attraction between the calcium cation and the sulfate anion.
