Is an ionic bond stronger than a covalent bond?

Answer 1

First of all, it bears mentioning that there is no line between ionic bonds and covalent bonds in nature. This is a line that scientists draw. Rather than being a logical (either it's covalent or it's not) think of it as more like a specturm, with some bonds being more covalent than others, and then having more covalent character than others.

Second of all, it depends A LOT on the kind of atoms your using. Big ones with high atomic numbers have trouble getting enthusiastic about much of anything because they have so much shielding going on from the dozens of electrons they have. So no rule you make is going to hold entirely true - some ionic bonds are stronger than some covalent bonds, and some covalent bonds are stronger than some ionic bonds.

Having said all those disclaimers, the answer is that more ionic character generally makes a bond stronger. Here is why:

Just think about what would happen if you were to break the bond by pulling the atoms physically apart and then re-establish it by shoving them together again. If you had a strongly ionic bond, like H-F, when you separated them hydrogen wouldn't have a chance of keeping the shared electrons when faced with flourine's massive electronegativity. You'd end up with H+ and F-. On the other hand, if you pulled H-H apart, their completely equal electronegativities would probably result in each of them getting one of the shared bond electrons, turning them into two H radicals with a single electron.

Here's where the difference in important. An H radical is electrostatically okay. Which is to say that chargewise, all the electrons and protons are 'happy'. Of course, a free electron would much rather have a partner, so it's probably not going to stick around like that... but compare it to the alternative. F- and H+ are both electrically charged. Even if we pull them apart, the electric force is going to try and suck them back together again. They are NOT electrostatically okay. And the electric force wicked strong (it's 10^36 times stronger than gravity!).

So you can see that barring other interferences, the more ionic a bond is, the stronger it will be, simply because the alternatives are (for the atoms) much more horrible to consider. Hope that helps!

Answer 2

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RE:
Is an ionic bond stronger than a covalent bond?

Answer 3

Are Covalent Bonds Strong

Answer 4

You can't really generalize. Some covalent bonds are stronger than some ionic bonds, and the opposite is also true. Also, 'bond strength' will be different in different environments - that is, NaCl readily dissolves in water. This latter case is not really bond strength, but I point it out because some might leap to the conclusion that bond strength is an absolute regardless of environment.

Answer 5

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The "strength" of a bond is known as the "energy bond", that is the energy required to break the bond (i. e., to separate the bonded atoms) in the vacuum (other medium diminishes it). This energy bond depends on the bonded atoms: their size, the length of the bond, their electronegativity, the number of the bonds between them, the forces acting to hold them together, etc. A common single COVALENT bond is the C - C . The 2 atoms share 2 electrons the energy bond is of 154 kJ/mol. Each atom is attracted to the other by partial (small) electrical charges and quantum position . A common ionic bond is the bond between Na and Cl. In the crystal the Na donates an electron to Cl and they become charges Na+ and Cl-. The energy bond is 765 kJ/mol! Each ion is attracted to the other by strong electrical charges. So, in this example, if you compare the two bonds, the energy required to separate the components is much higher in the case of the ionic. BUT... It is very easy to separate the ions of Na+ and Cl- when you put them in the water (polar medium). The "activation energy" of this process is very low. AND... It is very difficult to separate a C-C in any medium, unless you have a catalyst. In this case, the "activation energy" is very high! WHAT IS ACTIVATION ENERGY? WHAT IS A "CATALYST"? These are other questions... Chemistry is Fun!

Answer 6

Covalent bonds in comparable compounds are stronger: In ionic bonds, the ions are "joined" by electrostatic attraction, while in covalent bonds both nuclei are actually sharing electrons.
In ionic bonds the electronegativity difference is such that it is relatively easy for one of the two nuclei to take the electron from the other, which it does. However, in covalent compounds, both nuclei are more evenly matched in this "tug of war" so to speak, so it is much more difficult for one to pull an electron away from the other.
Consider this: if you put salt in water, the ions in table salt (NaCl) will dissociate to form Na+ and Cl-. However, if you put sugar in water, yes, it will dissolve, meaning each sugar molecule will separate from the others, but the actual sugar molecules will stay whole. The C s. O s and H s in each individual sugar molecule will remain bonded.
Another example of this is carbon: the lattice-like structure carbon forms as a network covalent compound (diamond) which is similar in structure to ionic compounds is much stronger than any ionic lattice structure.
However, the intermolecular forces - which hold separate molecules together- (as opposed to the intramolecular bonds that are what hold the atoms that make up a molecule together) are weaker than ionic bonds. This is the reason that molecular compounds tend to have lower boiling/melting points that ionic compounds.
In summary:
Intramolecular bonds (covalent bonds) are stronger than ionic bonds, andionic forces are weaker than intermolecular forces ( london dispersion forces, dipole-dipole forces and hydrogen bonds)

Answer 7

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Answer 8

in fact, ionic bond is strongest bond. covalent bond is weaker. some body will think covalent bond is stronger because many compounds have covalent bond like in organic chemistry bonds among Carbon is covalent bond. but look, you can burn down covalent bond like you burn a piece of meat. all covalent bond will collapsed but u can not burn salt (NaCl) with ionic bond. however, when put NaCl into water it will produce Na+ and Cl-. Not NaCl atom any more

Answer 9

Unfortunately many of the responses are completely wrong.
You should use real numbers to decide how to respond.
Here is the best answer:

Covalent bonds are stronger than ionic bonds. The numbers in kcal/mol are typically in the ranges (depending on the compound) as follows:

Covalent bond: 85-110 (but could be higher)
Ionic Bond: 4-7

Someone mentioned hydrogen bonds. Those will be around 5 kcal/mol.

There are other types of bonds like Van Der Wals bonds which are very weak, typically less than 1 kcal/mol.

Answer 10

NO. covalent bond is more stronger than an ionic bond .when sharing of electrons(covalent bond)occurs there is a mutual frimness given to bond from both the atoms where as in ionic bond only one carries away the electrons making the bond weaker from the other donor atom.