BaSO4 is both. Barium is a metal bonded to a non-meal polyatomic ion, in this case the sulfate ion. However, the sulfate ion itself has two non-metals being bonded, which is a covalent bond.
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BaSO4 is an ionic compound. It is composed of a metal (Ba) and a non-metal (S and O), resulting in the transfer of electrons from Ba to S and O to form ionic bonds.
I know its Polar covalent bond, but I'm not sure you are that far in chemistry. Polar covalent means that electrons are shared unequally but still shared while and ionic bond means electrons transfered.
BaSO4 contains both ionic and covalent bonds. The bond between Ba and SO4 is ionic, where barium (Ba) donates its electron to sulfate (SO4). However, within the sulfate ion itself, the bonds between sulfur and oxygen atoms are covalent, as they involve sharing of electron pairs.
While SO4 is held together with covalent bonds, it acts as an ion with a net -2 charge. Then BaSO4 is connected with an ionic bond.
It is ionic
Ba^2+ + SO4^2- -> BaSO4(s)