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Quizzes > Science > Chemistry

Master Ionic vs Covalent Bonds - Quiz Yourself Now

Is SO2 an Ionic or Covalent Bond? Identify Ionic Compounds Now!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art quiz showing Ca3N2 SO2 CaO HNO3 molecular cutouts and covalent or ionic bond labels on golden yellow background

This quiz helps you decide whether Ca3N2 is covalent or ionic, and gives you practice classifying bonds in compounds like SO2, CaO, and HNO3. Use it to spot patterns and check gaps before a test, and explore more questions in our related bonding quiz .

What type of bond is present in calcium nitride (Ca3N2)?
Covalent
Ionic
Hydrogen
Metallic
Ca3N2 consists of Ca2+ cations and N3? anions held together by electrostatic attraction, which defines an ionic bond. The large difference in electronegativity between calcium (1.00) and nitrogen (3.04) favors full electron transfer. Ionic compounds form crystalline lattices with high melting points. see .
Which of the following compounds is primarily covalent?
MgF2
CaO
NaCl
HNO3
HNO3 (nitric acid) is composed of nonmetals (H, N, O) sharing electrons to form covalent bonds. There are no metal - nonmetal interactions requiring full electron transfer. Its structure features polar covalent bonds between N and O atoms. see .
What type of bond is formed between calcium and oxygen in CaO?
Ionic
Metallic
Coordinate covalent
Covalent
CaO is an ionic compound composed of Ca2+ and O2? ions due to complete electron transfer from calcium to oxygen. The large electronegativity difference (around 2.0) supports ionic bonding. Ionic compounds like CaO have high melting points and conduct electricity when molten. see .
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is best described as having what type of bonding?
Nonpolar covalent
Metallic
Polar covalent
Ionic
SO2 is composed of covalently bonded sulfur and oxygen atoms with unequal sharing of electrons, making the bonds polar. The bent molecular geometry leads to a net dipole moment. Electronegativity difference (~1.0) is in the polar covalent range. see .
Which electronegativity difference typically indicates an ionic bond?
Less than 0.5
Greater than 1.7
0.5 to 1.7
Exactly 1.0
A difference in electronegativity greater than about 1.7 usually indicates ionic character, as one atom effectively takes an electron from the other. Smaller differences produce covalent or polar covalent bonds. These thresholds are approximate guidelines. see .
Why is HNO3 considered a covalent compound despite the presence of charged resonance structures?
Because it contains hydrogen
All atoms are nonmetals sharing electrons
Resonance implies ionic bonding
Nitrogen donates electrons to oxygen fully
HNO3 consists entirely of nonmetals (H, N, O), so all bonds arise from shared electron pairs rather than full transfer. Resonance structures merely distribute the covalent bonding framework. There is no metal to form true ionic interactions. see .
In Ca3N2, what is the oxidation state of nitrogen?
-3
+3
-1
-2
In Ca3N2, each calcium is +2, totaling +6; to balance, two nitrogen atoms must sum to -6, so each is -3. This ionic model explains the charge distribution in the lattice. Nitride ions are commonly N3? in ionic compounds. see .
Which phenomenon best explains the high melting point of Ca3N2?
Lattice energy of ionic crystal
Metallic bonding delocalization
Strong covalent networks
Hydrogen bonding between ions
Ionic compounds like Ca3N2 form a rigid crystal lattice where the lattice energy (electrostatic attraction between Ca2+ and N3?) is very high. Overcoming these interactions requires significant energy, resulting in a high melting point. Covalent or metallic bonding cannot explain this behavior in Ca3N2. see .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Analyze bond types in Ca3N2 -

    Through guided questions on covalent or ionic ca3n2, you'll determine why calcium nitride forms ionic bonds based on electron transfer principles.

  2. Determine bond classification for SO2 -

    Answer "is so2 an ionic or covalent bond" by examining electronegativity differences and molecular structure.

  3. Apply electronegativity to predict bonds -

    Use electronegativity values to predict whether compounds like CaO and HNO3 are ionic or covalent.

  4. Identify compounds with ionic bonding -

    Spot which compounds exhibit ionic characteristics, strengthening your skill to identify the compound with ionic bonding in various examples.

  5. Compare ionic vs covalent bonds -

    Contrast the key features of ionic and covalent interactions through an engaging ionic vs covalent bond quiz.

  6. Reinforce chemical bonding knowledge -

    Solidify your understanding of bond types for academic revisions and real-world chemistry applications.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Electronegativity Difference Rules -

    Review the Pauling scale to determine bond type: a ΔEN above ~1.7 typically indicates ionic bonding, while below ~1.7 suggests covalent sharing (source: UC Berkeley Chem Wiki). For instance, ΔEN for Ca3N2 is 2.3 (Ca 1.0, N 3.0), confirming its ionic character in the covalent or ionic Ca3N2 discussion.

  2. Physical Properties & Lattice Structures -

    Ionic compounds like Ca3N2 and CaO form rigid crystal lattices with high melting points and brittle textures, whereas covalent compounds like SO2 and HNO3 are molecular with lower melting points (Royal Society of Chemistry). Test conductivity in molten or aqueous states: ionic compounds conduct electricity, covalent ones do not, reinforcing bond-type identification.

  3. Distinguishing SO2: is SO2 an ionic or covalent bond? -

    SO2 features two S - O bonds with ΔEN ~1.0, classifying them as polar covalent (Khan Academy). Its bent geometry prevents full charge separation and reinforces electron sharing rather than transfer in is so2 an ionic or covalent bond analysis.

  4. Identify the Compound with Ionic Bonding -

    Look for metal + nonmetal combinations: CaO (Ca2+ and O2 - ) and Ca3N2 (Ca2+ and N3 - ) are classic ionic compounds, while HNO3 is acidic but contains covalent N - O bonds and an ionizable H+. Practicing with an ionic vs covalent bond quiz helps solidify these patterns and speeds up identification in exam conditions.

  5. Mnemonic & Practice Strategies -

    Remember "Leo the Lion goes GER" (Loss Electron Oxidation, Gain Electron Reduction) to track electron transfer in ionic bonds versus sharing in covalent bonds. Couple this with short ionic vs covalent bond quizzes on compounds like Ca3N2, SO2, and HNO3 to sharpen identification skills under timed conditions.

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