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Sort of, though the term "chemical formula" is more accurate for describing compound molecular or otherwise.

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How do ionic and molecular compounds differ in physical properties?

Ionic compounds have higher melting and boiling points than molecular compounds due to the strong electrostatic forces between ions. Ionic compounds are usually solid at room temperature, while molecular compounds can be solid, liquid, or gas. Ionic compounds conduct electricity when dissolved in water, while molecular compounds do not.


An ionic compound is not represented by a molecular formula because an ionic compound?

An ionic compound is not represented by a molecular formula because it does not exist as discrete molecules. Instead, it exists as a three-dimensional array of positively and negatively charged ions held together by ionic bonds. The formula for an ionic compound represents the simplest ratio of the ions present in the compound.


How can molecular compounds be distinguished from ionic compounds?

Many ionic compounds exist as crystals but covalent compounds as molecules (there are exceptions as diamond though). Ionic compounds would be good electrical conductors unlike molecular compounds.


What are the difference in conductivity between ionic and molecular compounds?

Ionic compounds typically have higher conductivity than molecular compounds because ionic compounds dissociate into ions in solution, allowing for the flow of electric current. Molecular compounds, on the other hand, do not dissociate into ions in solution and therefore exhibit lower conductivity.


Why some compound do not have molecular formula?

Once you get into the realm of compounds you are really looking at two types---ionic and molecular. Molecular compounds are made up of all the same type of molecule, and those molecules consist of a series of atoms covalently bonded together. The molecular formula of a molecular compound gives the number of each type of atom that makes up the molecule. Ionic compounds are different---there are no definable molecules present, just lattices of alternating positive and negative ions (charged atoms). So unlike molecular compounds there is no definable subunit in an ionic compound. Instead ionic compounds are represented by the simplest ratio of ions in the compound. For instance, in table salt there is one sodium ion per chlorine ion so the formula is NaCl. that does not mean there are little NaCl molecules making up the compound, just that the ratio of those two ions is 1:1. In calcium chloride there are two chloride ions for every calcium ion, so its formula is CaCl2. So the simple answe to the question is that molecular formulas are not used for ionic compounds because they are not comprised of molecules. That does not keep people (even chemists) from referring to the formulas of ionic compounds as "molecular formulas" but it is technically a misnomer. Simply calling them "formulas" or "ionic formulas" would be more appropriate.

Related Questions

Why ionic compounds do not posses molecular formula?

it is not a molecule


What is salts molecular?

For ionic compounds the correct term is formula unit, not molecule.


The term formula mass can be applied to ionic compound and molecular compuonds because?

The term formula mass is generally defined as the mass of a unit cell in an ionic compound. Molecular compounds are just defined in terms of molecular mass.


Why is na2so4 not a molecular formula?

Na2SO4 is not a molecular formula because it represents an ionic compound, sodium sulfate. In ionic compounds, the elements are held together by ionic bonds rather than sharing electrons in covalent bonds like in molecular compounds. The formula Na2SO4 indicates that there are two sodium ions (Na+) for every sulfate ion (SO4^2-).


Would ionic or covalent molecules use the molecular formula or empirical formula?

What you write for an ionic compound is called the formula unit, but the formula unit is almost always the same as the empirical formula. The answer to your question could not be the molecular formula because an ionic compound is not a molecule.


How do ionic and molecular compounds differ in physical properties?

Ionic compounds have higher melting and boiling points than molecular compounds due to the strong electrostatic forces between ions. Ionic compounds are usually solid at room temperature, while molecular compounds can be solid, liquid, or gas. Ionic compounds conduct electricity when dissolved in water, while molecular compounds do not.


An ionic compound is not represented by a molecular formula because an ionic compound?

An ionic compound is not represented by a molecular formula because it does not exist as discrete molecules. Instead, it exists as a three-dimensional array of positively and negatively charged ions held together by ionic bonds. The formula for an ionic compound represents the simplest ratio of the ions present in the compound.


What is a quick way of showing the chemical composition of a compound?

draw a structural formula for organics, write a chemical formula (molecular formula or ionic formula) for simpler compounds.


What is a quick way of showing the chemical composition in a compound?

draw a structural formula for organics, write a chemical formula (molecular formula or ionic formula) for simpler compounds.


How can molecular compounds be distinguished from ionic compounds?

Many ionic compounds exist as crystals but covalent compounds as molecules (there are exceptions as diamond though). Ionic compounds would be good electrical conductors unlike molecular compounds.


Why does sodium sulfate not have a molecular formula?

Sodium sulfate is an ionic compound, consisting of Na+ and SO4^2- ions, held together by ionic bonds. It does not exist as individual molecules like covalent compounds do, so it does not have a molecular formula.


How can water dissolve some ionic compounds as well as some molecular compounds?

Water can dissolve some ionic compounds as well as some molecular compounds because of its polarity. It is polar enough to dissolve ionic compounds into their ions. Water does not dissolve molecular compounds by breaking covalent bonds, but through intermolecular forces.