In the following questions, a statement I is given and a corresponding statement II is given below it. Mark the correct answer as:

Statement I: Ionic bond is nondirectional.

Statement II: Each ion is surrounded by a uniformly distributed electric field

If both statement I and statement II are true and statement II is the correct explanation of statement I.

The correct answer is option 1. If both statement I and statement II are true and statement II is the correct explanation of statement I.

Let us delve into the explanations for both statements and why statement II provides a correct explanation for statement I:

Statement I: Ionic bond is nondirectional.

Ionic bonds are formed between ions of opposite charges (cation and anion). The attraction between these ions is purely electrostatic in nature, meaning it depends on the charges of the ions and their distances from each other. Unlike covalent bonds, which often have specific directional bonding orbitals due to overlap of atomic orbitals, ionic bonds do not have such directional bonding orbitals. This lack of directionality arises because the electrostatic attraction between ions extends equally in all directions around each ion. In a crystal lattice of an ionic compound (such as NaCl), each ion is surrounded by ions of opposite charge, leading to a three-dimensional arrangement where each ion is attracted to several neighboring ions in all directions. This results in a structure where there is no preferred direction for the attraction between ions, hence the term "nondirectional" for ionic bonds.

Statement II: Each ion is surrounded by a uniformly distributed electric field.

This statement refers to the electrostatic field created by an ion due to its charge. An ion, whether it is a cation (positively charged) or an anion (negatively charged), creates an electric field that extends outward in all directions. This electric field is uniformly distributed around the ion because the electric force exerted by the ion follows the inverse-square law, meaning its strength decreases with distance from the ion.The uniformly distributed electric field around each ion is a consequence of its charge and the symmetry of the spherical distribution of the electric force lines (electric field lines) extending outward from the ion in three dimensions.

Explanation of why Statement II is the correct explanation for Statement I:

The nondirectional nature of ionic bonds stems directly from the uniformly distributed electric fields around each ion. Because the electric field extends uniformly in all directions around each ion, the electrostatic attraction between ions is felt equally in all directions. This uniform distribution of the electric field ensures that there is no preferential direction for the attraction between ions, thereby making the ionic bond non-directional. Therefore, statement II provides a correct explanation for statement I because the uniformly distributed electric fields around ions directly contribute to the nondirectional nature of the ionic bond. This explanation ties together the physical phenomenon of the electric field with the macroscopic property of the bond's directionality.

In summary, the combination of statement I (nondirectional nature of ionic bonds) and statement II (uniformly distributed electric fields around ions) illustrates why ionic bonds do not have directional bonding characteristics, as the electrostatic attraction between ions is uniformly distributed in all directions around each ion in an ionic lattice.