Covalent character in ionic bonds

[ashwathinair]

If a bond is ionic, why would it have more or less covalent character? Is this because the electron being pulled on by the cation has more or less polarizing power/the anion has more or less polarizability?

[BNgo_2L]

Yes, the ionic bond has more or less covalent character depending on the anion's polarizability and the cation's polarizing power. It has less covalent character when there is the anion is less polarizable and/or the cation has high polarizing power. It has more covalent character when there is high polarizablility and/or polarizing power.

[Joowon Seo 3A]

Yes, because the cation is able to pull the shared electron more towards itself. This is used to explain why some salts cannot dissolve as easily in water than other salts.

[Rhea Shah 2F]

Certain ions have high polarizing power, meaning they cause larger distortions in a bond. Ions with high polarizing power pull electrons into the bonding region, which results in an ionic bond with more covalent character.