would ionic or covalent substances be more dangerous near an open flame? why?

In general, covalent materials have a lower boiling point than ionic substances; therefore, a covalent material is likely to be a vapor or easily converted to a gas. However, not all covalent substances are flammable.

ok but would they be more dangerous?

See my response above. This may be a question from a class but, in my opinion, not a very good one. It all depends upon what we consider a danger. Is it the fire hazard, the health hazard of breathing noxious fumes,??

the fire hazard (unfortunately, this question will probably not be answered because it is 10 years later, but i'll post it anyways)

good job

Ionic substances would generally be more dangerous near an open flame compared to covalent substances. This is due to the nature of their chemical bonding.

To understand why, let's first define ionic and covalent substances. Ionic substances are made up of cations (positively charged ions) and anions (negatively charged ions) held together by electrostatic attractions. Covalent substances, on the other hand, are formed when atoms share pairs of electrons to achieve a stable configuration.

Now, when exposed to an open flame, the high heat can provide enough energy for the bonds in a substance to break. In the case of ionic substances, the strong electrostatic forces between the charged ions hold the crystal lattice structure together. When heated, the energy provided by the flame can overcome these forces, causing the lattice to break apart and release the ions into the surroundings. These individual ions can then react with the flame or other combustible materials, potentially leading to more volatile and hazardous situations.

In contrast, covalent substances are typically composed of molecules held together by shared electron pairs. The bonds in covalent substances are generally stronger compared to ionic bonds, requiring higher energy to break. Consequently, covalent substances are often more stable and less likely to break down when exposed to an open flame. While some covalent substances can certainly burn, their combustion tends to occur under specific conditions and in the presence of suitable oxidizers.

To summarize, due to their strong ionic bonds that can readily break when exposed to high heat, ionic substances are generally considered more dangerous near an open flame compared to covalent substances.