Question

What is the difference between hydrogen chloride and potassium chloride?

Answer 1

Well, the one, hydrogen chloride is molecular..............

Explanation:

And t'other, potassium chloride, is non-molecular, and ionic........

Of course hydrogen chloride is polar, i.e. `stackrel(delta+)H-stackrel(delta-)Cl`, and of course in aqueous solution it ionizes to give stoichiometric `H_3O^+` and `Cl^-` ions. However, hydrogen chloride is a covalent molecule to a first approximation, and in fact it is supplied in metal cylinders as a gas.

Potassium chloride is a non-molecular, ionic salt composed of infinite arrays of potassium and chloride ions bound together by strong electrostatic forces.