Properties Shared by Ionic Compounds
They form crystals.
They have high melting points and high boiling points.
They have higher enthalpies of fusion and vaporization than molecular compounds.
They're hard and brittle.
They conduct electricity when they are dissolved in water.
They're good insulators.
Ionic compounds are hard and brittle. Ionic compounds dissociate into ions when dissolved in water. Solutions of ionic compounds and melted ionic compounds conduct electricity, but solid materials do not. An ionic compound can be identified by its chemical formula: metal + nonmetal or polyatomic ions.
