What is the general property of salts in terms of bonding?

• A. They are ionic compounds
• B. They are covalent molecules
• C. They are metallic solids only
• D. They are noble gases

Answer: (A)

Ionic bonding is what defines salts. Salts form when a metal transfers electrons to a non-metal, creating positive and negative ions. The opposite charges attract strongly, so the ions lock into a regular lattice held together by these strong electrostatic forces. That’s why salts have high melting points and can conduct electricity when dissolved or melted, because the ions become free to move. Covalent molecules, on the other hand, are held together by sharing electrons between atoms; metallic solids are held together by a 'sea' of delocalized electrons around metal atoms; and noble gases are typically single, unbonded atoms. So the general bonding in salts is ionic.