Binary compounds consist of only two distinct elements, regardless of whether the compound is ionic or molecular. Water is a binary compound, as are calcium chloride, ammonia, and potassium iodide.
<span>An ionic binary compound consists of cations of one element and anions of another. KI is an ionic binary compound, composed of K cations and I anions. </span>
<span>A molecular binary compound does not consist of discrete ions, but of molecules. H2O is molecular, as is NH3.</span>
