Is NaNO3 ionic or covalent?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking whether the compound nitrate, denoted as NaNO3, is an ionic or covalent substance. This involves understanding the nature of the chemical bonds present in this compound, particularly between sodium and nitrate.
Answer
ionic
The final answer is ionic
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is ionic
More Information
Sodium nitrate (NaNO3) is classified as an ionic compound because it consists of Na+ (sodium) and NO3- (nitrate) ions held together by ionic bonds. Within the nitrate ion (NO3-), nitrogen and oxygen atoms are covalently bonded.
Tips
A common mistake is not recognizing that a compound can exhibit both ionic and covalent characteristics. NaNO3 has ionic bonds between Na+ and NO3- and covalent bonds within the NO3- ion.
Sources
- Sodium nitrate features an ionic bond - byjus.com
- Is NaNO3 an ionic or a molecular bond? - ECHEMI - echemi.com
- Sodium nitrate is an ionic compound of Na+ and NO3- ions - Answers - answers.com