This laboratory exercise investigate ionic and covalent compounds.

Chemical bonding is classified into two general groups with no clear boundary between them.  The two groups are ionic and covalent bonds.

IONIC SUBSTANCES are composed of charged particles called ions, held together by large electrical forces.  These compounds tend to be crystalline in nature and have very high melting points, upwards to 1000 degrees Celsius.  The ionic compound is soluble in polar solvents such as water.  The ionic substance conducts electricity when it is in the aqueous state due to the movement of ions in the solutions.  An ionic bond is a strong bond and requires large amounts of energy to break.

COVALENT SUBSTANCES are composed of bonded atoms that share electrons.  Covalently bonded substances usually have low melting points (less than 300^OC).  These substances may be crystalline or noncrystalline.  Covalently bonded substances do not conduct electricity.  Covalent bonding is considered the bond of organic chemistry, but there are inorganic compounds that have covalent bonds.