Question

Sodium chloride is an ionic compound. Justify.

Answer 1

Definition of Ionic Compounds:

1. The compounds that are formed by ions are known as ionic compounds.
2. Ions are the positively and negatively charged species formed by loss and gain of electrons.

Sodium chloride as an ionic compound:

1. Sodium chloride $\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{NaCl}\mathbf{\right)}$ contains two ions: sodium ion $\mathbf{\left(}{\mathbf{Na}}^{\mathbf{+}}\mathbf{\right)}$ and chloride ion $\mathbf{\left(}{\mathbf{Cl}}^{\mathbf{-}}\mathbf{\right)}$.
2. As Sodium chloride $\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{NaCl}\mathbf{\right)}$ is a compound formed by ions, it is an ionic compound.

Thus, sodium chloride $\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{NaCl}\mathbf{\right)}$ is an ionic compound as it is formed by ions i.e. sodium ion $\mathbf{\left(}{\mathbf{Na}}^{\mathbf{+}}\mathbf{\right)}$ and chloride ion $\mathbf{\left(}{\mathbf{Cl}}^{\mathbf{-}}\mathbf{\right)}$.