Question
Question: What is the melting point of ionic compounds?...
What is the melting point of ionic compounds?
Solution
Hint : A substance's melting point or, more rarely, liquefaction point is the temperature at which it transitions from solid to liquid state. At the melting point, the liquid and solid phases are in balance.
Complete Step By Step Answer:
A chemical compound made up of ions held together by electrostatic forces is known as an ionic compound. Overall, the compound is neutral, but it contains both positively and negatively charged ions known as cations and anions, respectively.
Electrostatic forces between particles are strongest when the charges are large, and the distance between the nuclei of the ions is small. The compounds in these situations typically have very high melting and boiling points and low vapor pressure.
Cations and anions have a strong electrostatic attraction. To overcome this attraction and allow the ions to move more freely and form a liquid, it takes a lot of energy. So that, the melting points of ionic compounds are extremely high. Sodium chloride, for example, melts at 801 degrees Celsius and boils at 1413 degrees Celsius. Water, for example, a molecular compound, melts at 0 degrees Celsius and boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
That is, the melting point of ionic compounds is high.
Additional Information:
Remember that the ionic compounds are usually hard and brittle, with high melting and boiling points. They are almost always electrically insulating as solids, but when melted or dissolved, the ions are mobilized, and they become highly conductive.
Note :
Ionic compounds have a wide range of applications and use. Many minerals have ionic properties. We are using salt as a food seasoning and preservative, but it is now also used in processing, agriculture, water conditioning, road de-icing, and various other applications. Many ionic compounds are so prevalent in the society that they have common names with little to do with their chemical identity.