alleryStart learning →Ionic compounds dissolved in water are most realistically represented as:
ADissociated ions
BIntact neutral units
CCovalent molecules
DSolid crystal lattices
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. Dissociated ions
1. Writing a dissolved salt as a single formula unit hides what is really in the beaker.
2. Ionic compounds dissolved in water are more realistically represented as dissociated ions.
3. That is why a complete ionic equation lists the separated ions.
4. A compound that does not dissolve, such as silver chloride, stays written as a solid.
_Source: OpenStax Chemistry 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 4 'Stoichiometry of Chemical Reactions', sections 4.1-4.5_
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