Which characteristic is typical of ionic compounds?

Ionic compounds are known for having high melting and boiling points due to the strong electrostatic forces of attraction between the oppositely charged ions that compose them. This ionic bond is significantly stronger than the intermolecular forces found in molecular compounds. The strength of these bonds requires a substantial amount of energy to break, which directly correlates to their high melting and boiling points.

This characteristic is critical in understanding the stability and behavior of ionic compounds under various conditions. When heated, ionic compounds do not easily change state, which is observable when comparing them with molecular compounds that tend to have lower melting and boiling points and may easily vaporize.

In contrast, although ionic compounds can form structures that exhibit volatility under certain conditions when dealing with solubility in certain solvents, they are generally not characterized as volatile themselves. Furthermore, their ability to conduct electricity depends on their state; while they do not conduct electricity in solid form, they become good conductors when dissolved in water or melted, which is distinct from being poor conductors overall. Lastly, ionic compounds usually do not form gaseous solutions in the same way that simple covalent gases do.