IONIC COMPOUNDS CONDUCT ELECTRICITY EXCEPT WHEN THEY ARE

A. IN WATER SOLUTION
B. LIQUID
C. BILNARY COMPOUNDS
D. SOLID

I will be happy to critique your thinking on this.

To determine which option is correct, let's recall some properties of ionic compounds.

Ionic compounds are composed of positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions) held together by electrostatic attraction. In solid form, their ions are held tightly in a rigid lattice structure and are not free to move, which inhibits the flow of electric current. Therefore, solid ionic compounds typically do not conduct electricity.

Now let's analyze the given options:

A. In water solution: When an ionic compound dissolves in water, the water molecules surround the ions, separating them from each other and allowing them to move freely in solution. This mobility of ions enables the flow of electric current, making aqueous solutions of ionic compounds conductive.

B. Liquid: If an ionic compound is in a liquid state, it means that the ions are not bound in a lattice structure like in a solid. As a result, they are free to move, which allows electric current to flow. So, ionic compounds in the liquid state can conduct electricity.

C. Binary compounds: Binaries compounds refer to compounds consisting of only two types of elements. However, this option doesn't provide enough information to determine whether binary compounds conduct electricity or not. Some binary compounds can be ionic, while others can be covalent. Hence, this option doesn't explicitly indicate whether they conduct electricity or not.

D. Solid: As discussed earlier, solid ionic compounds, usually in the form of crystals, have their ions tightly packed in a fixed position. Because the ions cannot move freely, electric current cannot flow through them. Therefore, solid ionic compounds do not conduct electricity.

Based on this analysis, we can conclude that the correct answer is:

D. SOLID

Solid ionic compounds do not conduct electricity.