FePO4, or iron phosphate, is primarily considered an ionic compound. This classification stems from the nature of the bonding between its constituent elements.
In FePO4, iron (Fe) typically has a charge of +3, and the phosphate ion (PO43-) carries a -3 charge. The electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions is characteristic of ionic bonds. When iron and the phosphate group combine, they form FePO4 through this ionic bonding mechanism.
Furthermore, the difference in electronegativity between iron and phosphorus, along with oxygen in the phosphate group, promotes this ionic nature. While the phosphate ion itself contains covalent bonds between phosphorus and oxygen atoms, the overall interaction of the iron ion with the phosphate ion is ionic.
In summary, due to the presence of charged ions and the nature of the bond that forms between them, FePO4 is classified as an ionic compound rather than a covalent one.