HW 2D.3

[Nikki Razal 1L]

Can someone explain to me why BaBr2 has bonds primarily ionic?
(in reference to HW question 2D.3:
"Which of these compounds has bonds that are primarily ionic? (a) BBr3; (b) BaBr2; (c) BeBr2."

[AnvitaaAnandkumar_1B]

Ba is in the 2nd period of the periodic table i.e it has high metallic character and therefore very low electronegativity while Br is in the 17th period and therefore has high electronegativity.
Due to this large difference, the bond is primarily ionic.
In addition, on the test, you could also simply give you the electronegativities of the elements so you'd simply have to say that since BaBr2 has the largest difference in electronegativity values, the bond is primarily ionic.

[Keerthana Sivathasan 2E]

BaBr2 is primarily ionic because the electronegativity difference between the Ba and Br molecules are high and using the scale ,<1.5 covalent , 1.5-2 polar covalent, 2< ionic, you can see from the Pauling Electronegativity table that BaBr2 is ionic with the differences in these 2 molecules electronegativities being 2.07.

[Kylie Lim 4G]

there is the greatest difference in electronegativity between Ba and Br, which means it is the most ionic

[Junwei Sun 4I]

BaBr2 is more ionic compare to BeBr2 and BBr3 because the electronegativity difference between Ba-Br is the greatest compares to electronegativity difference between Be-Br and B-Br. Electronegativity increases across the period and decreases down the group. Therefore the electronegativity difference between Ba and Be is the greatest among the three.

[Mariah]

BaBr2 is more ionic compare to BeBr2 and BBr3 because the electronegativity difference between Ba-Br is the greatest compares to electronegativity difference between Be-Br and B-Br. Electronegativity increases across the period and decreases down the group. Therefore the electronegativity difference between Ba and Be is the greatest among the three.

Wouldn't BaBr2 also be ionic due to the difference in Electronegativity? In this case, are we looking for the MOST ionic?