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Chapter 2: Q69P (page 83)

Does potassium nitrate (KNO3) incorporate ionic bonding, covalent bonding, or both? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Potassium nitrate incorporates both ionic bonding and covalent bonding.

Step by step solution

01

Find the type of bonding present in potassium nitrate

The ionic compounds are chemical compounds that are formed from the combination of metals as cations and the nonmetals/polyatomic as anions. The type of bonding that exists between anions and cations is known as ionic bonding. A cation is produced from the respective metal by losing its one or more electrons while an anion is formed from the corresponding nonmetal by gaining one or more electrons. Usually, ionic bonds are very strong due to the strong electrostatic interactions between oppositely charged ions.

In potassium nitrate, potassium is an alkali metal that forms a monoatomic cation and nitrate is a polyatomic anion that comes from nitric acid. The physical interaction between potassium cation and nitrate anion results in the formation of ionic bonding. Hence, potassium nitrate is an ionic compound that has an ionic bond between two ions.

02

Find the type of bonding present in nitrate anion

Covalent bonds are a major type of chemical bonding that is formed from two nonmetals. In covalent bonds, two non-metals share their electronsbut do not completely transfer their electrons. In general, the covalent bonds are stronger.

Nitrate is a molecule having a single negative charge that contains two different nonmetals: nitrogen and oxygen. Within the molecule, nitrogen and oxygen form covalent bonds. Hence, nitrate in potassium nitrate incorporates covalent bonding.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

State the mass law(s) demonstrated by the following experimental results, and explain your reasoning:

Experiment 1: A student heats 1.27 g of copper and 3.50 g of iodine to produce 3.81 g of a white compound; 0.96 g of iodine remains.

Experiment 2: A second student heats 2.55 g of copper and 3.50 g of iodine to form 5.25 g of a white compound, and 0.80 g of copper remains.

The tap water found in many areas of the United States leaves white deposits when it evaporates. Is this tap water a mixture or a compound? Explain.

The following charges on individual oil droplets were obtained during an experiment similar to Millikan's. Determine a charge for the electron( in coulombs), and explain your answer:
-1.602×1019C; -4.806×10-19C; -8.010×10-19C; -14.42×10-19C.

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Fluorite, a mineral of calcium, is a compound of the metal with fluorine. Analysis shows that a 2.76-g sample of fluorite contains 1.42 g of calcium. Calculate the (a) mass of fluorine in the sample; (b) mass fractions of calcium and fluorine in fluorite; (c) mass percents of calcium and fluorine in fluorite.
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