No, CH₄O (methanol) is not an ionic compound. It is a molecular compound.
Here’s why:
- CH₄O consists of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O), and the atoms are held together by covalent bonds.
- In covalent bonding, atoms share electrons to achieve stability, rather than transferring electrons as in ionic bonding.
- Ionic compounds typically form between metals and nonmetals, where electrons are transferred from the metal to the nonmetal, creating oppositely charged ions (e.g., sodium chloride, NaCl).
- In methanol (CH₄O), the bonds between carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are covalent, not ionic.
Thus, CH₄O is a molecular (covalent) compound, not an ionic one.
