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Ionic bonds are farther apart and covalent are closer together. Also covalent are almost always nonmetals and Ionic always a metal and nonmetal. Use slanted pencil trick to determine lower and higher electronegativity.

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Q: How can electronegativity be used to distinguish between a ionic bond and a covalent bond?
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Is Hydrogen sulfide covalent or ionic?

It is covalent due to the small electronegativity difference between hydrogen and sulfur.


Is NO2 ionic covalent or both?

Covalent. The electronegativity difference between N and O is small.


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Molecules can be ionic OR covalent, but not both. PbI2 (lead iodine), however, is ionic.


Is calcium oxygen ionic or covalent?

Calcium is a metal with an electronegativity of 1.0 and oxygen is a nonmetal with an electronegativity of 3.5. The electronegativity difference is 2.5, and anything over 1.7 indicates an IONIC BOND.


Do ionic bonds have a greater or lesser electronegativity difference between them than a covalent bond?

The difference in electronegativity between two elements bonded into a compound by ionic bonds is almost always greater than the difference in electronegativity between two elements bonded into a compound by covalent bonds.


How can eletronegativity be used to distinguish between an ionic bond and a covalent bond?

If electronegativity varies by more than 1.4 then you are most probably looking at an ionic bond. A variance less than 1.4 means, usually a covalent bond can be formed. This is a rule of thumb and is not always reliable. Metal to nonmetal; ionic. nonmetal to nonmetal; covalent.


Is P205 ionic or covalent?

P2O5 is covalent compound as the difference in electronegativity between P and O is below 1.7


Is P3Cl5 a ionic or covalent bond?

PCl3 has covalent bonds. The difference in electronegativity between P and Cl is not large enough. The electronegativity of P is 2.19 and for Cl it is 3.16, and so the difference is less than one, making it a polar-covalent bond.


Is the term for a bond between two atoms that differ in electronegativity?

If there is a slight electronegativity difference, the bond is a nonpolar covalent bond. If there is a large electronegativity difference, it is an ionic bond. If the difference is somewhere between, it is a polar covalent bond.


Is MgCl2 a polar covalent bond a covalent bond or an ionic bond?

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How would you use electronegativity values to predict if a bond will be principally ionic or covalent?

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Is there a clear difference between a very polar covalent bond and an ionic bond explain?

Electronegativity differences of <0.5 indicates a nonpolar covalent bond. Electronegativity differences between 0.5 and 1.6 indicate a polar covalent bond. Electronegativity differences >2.0 indicates an ionic bond. For electronegativity differences between 1.6 and 2.0, if the bond involves a metal, it is considered to be ionic. If the bond is between two nonmetals, the bond is considered to be polar covalent. Refer to the related link below for more information.