Which of the following is mainly responsible for determining the physical properties of ionic compounds?

• A. The strong electrostatic forces between oppositely charged ions
• B. The presence of delocalized electrons
• C. The hydrogen bonding between molecules
• D. The covalent bonding between atoms

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that physical properties of ionic compounds, such as melting point, boiling point, hardness, and solubility, are influenced by the forces holding the compound together.
2. Recall that ionic compounds consist of positively and negatively charged ions arranged in a lattice structure.
3. Recognize that the main force in ionic compounds is the electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions, which is very strong and affects their physical properties significantly.
4. Compare this with other types of interactions: delocalized electrons are characteristic of metallic bonding, hydrogen bonding occurs between molecules with hydrogen and electronegative atoms, and covalent bonding involves sharing electrons between atoms within molecules.
5. Conclude that the strong electrostatic forces between oppositely charged ions are primarily responsible for the physical properties of ionic compounds.