Ionic Bonding Part II

Compounds that fall into the ionic bonding category tend to have certain traits. Some of these traits are as follows:

1. Made of a metal and nonmetal combination. Often metals form + charges and nonmetals form - charges that fit together in a neutral ionic bond.
2.  Tend to be brittle solids- think of things like egg shells that are hard to the touch but crack and break fairly easily
3.  If soluble, dissolve in solution to make a solution that conducts electricity.

Here is a picture of table salt dissolved in water. The "electrolytes" exist in water as Na+ and Cl-. These ions conduct electricity. (Don't ever leave your hairdryer in water for this reason.)

Have you ever dissolved table salt in water? It looks like a clear solution if you don't add too much. This clear solution is made of positively and negatively charged ions that look like this picture.