Question

Ionic compunds have high melting point, why?

Answer 1

Dear student, In ionic compounds, the constituent particles are the ions. As a result, these are held together by the strong ionic bonds and the principal forces are the electrostatic forces that hold the ions together in a crystal lattice. Breaking the crystal lattice means pulling the negative and the positive ions apart, which requires a lot of energy as the electrostatic forces are very strong. Hence the melting and the boiling point of ionic compounds are very high. Regards