Скачать или смотреть Is MgF2 (Magnesium fluoride) Ionic or Covalent?

There are two ways to tell if MgF2 (Magnesium fluoride) is ionic or covalent. First, we can tell from the Periodic Table that Mg is a metal and F is a non-metal. When we have a metal and a non-metal the compound is usually considered ionic.

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Helpful Resources

Metals, Non-Metals on the P- Table:    • Metals, Nonmetals, and Metalloids on the P...  
Ionic, Covalent, & Polar Covalent:    • Polar, Non-Polar, and Ionic Compounds: Exp...  
Electronegativity for each element: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro...
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The second way tell if MgF2 is ionic or covalent is to look at the differences in electronegativity between the two elements. When the electronegativity difference is greater than 2.0 (some texts use the number 1.7) the compound is considered to be ionic. In an ionic compound the metal transfers valence electrons to the nonmetal thus forming the ionic bond.

Based on both the combination of a metal and non-metal, and on the difference in electronegativity, MgF2 (Magnesium fluoride) is considered an ionic compound.

In general, ionic compounds:

form crystals.
have high melting points and boiling points.
are hard and brittle.
conduct electricity when dissolved in water.
as solids do not conduct electricity.


For more chemistry help, see http://www.Breslyn.org.