Is calcium oxide (CaO) covalent or ionic?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking whether calcium oxide (CaO) is a covalent compound or an ionic compound. To determine this, we need to analyze the type of bonding present in CaO based on the elements involved.
Answer
ionic
The final answer is ionic
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is ionic
More Information
Calcium oxide (CaO) is an ionic compound. It is formed by the electrostatic attraction between positively charged calcium ions (Ca²⁺) and negatively charged oxide ions (O²⁻). This ionic bond occurs because calcium is a metal and oxygen is a non-metal.
Tips
A common mistake is thinking that compounds with covalent bonds are the only stable bonds; however, ionic bonds can be equally stable.
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