Asked by Wog

The oxygen atom found in sodium sulfate, NaSO4, forms bonds with sodium and sulfur. Which bond(s) formed by oxygen would be considered ionic in character? A. Neither the sodium-oxygen bond nor the sulfur-oxygen bond B. The sulfur-oxygen bond, but not the sodium-oxygen bond C. The sodium-oxygen bond, but not the sulfur-oxygen bond D. Both the sodium-oxygen bond and the sulfur-oxygen bond

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Answered by GPT-4o mini
In sodium sulfate, NaSO₄, oxygen forms different types of bonds with sodium and sulfur.

1. **Sodium-Oxygen Bond**: Sodium (Na) is an alkali metal and tends to lose an electron to form Na⁺. Oxygen (O) is a nonmetal that tends to gain electrons to form O²⁻. The bond between sodium and oxygen involves the transfer of an electron from sodium to oxygen, which characterizes an ionic bond.

2. **Sulfur-Oxygen Bond**: Sulfur (S) is also a nonmetal and can share electrons with oxygen, forming covalent bonds. In sulfate (SO₄²⁻), the sulfur and oxygen atoms share electrons, creating covalent character in the bond.

Based on this understanding, the best choice is:

**C. The sodium-oxygen bond, but not the sulfur-oxygen bond**

The sodium-oxygen bond is considered ionic due to the significant difference in electronegativity and the transfer of an electron, while the sulfur-oxygen bond is primarily covalent.

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