Which type of compound is sulfur dioxide (SO_2)?

• A. Molecular compound
• B. Metallic compound
• C. Ionic compound
• D. Polyatomic ion

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the elements involved in the compound sulfur dioxide (SO_2). It contains sulfur (S) and oxygen (O), both of which are nonmetals.
2. Recall that compounds formed between nonmetal elements are generally molecular compounds, which consist of molecules held together by covalent bonds.
3. Understand that ionic compounds typically form between metals and nonmetals, where electrons are transferred to form ions. Since sulfur and oxygen are both nonmetals, this is unlikely to be an ionic compound.
4. Recognize that metallic compounds are composed of metal atoms bonded together with metallic bonds, which is not the case here since sulfur and oxygen are nonmetals.
5. Note that a polyatomic ion is a charged species composed of multiple atoms covalently bonded, but SO_2 is a neutral molecule, not an ion.