Final answer:
Strontium chloride has a high melting point of 1477°C because it is an ionic compound with a strong ionic bond between Sr²⁺ and Cl⁻ ions. The significant energy required to break these bonds in its crystalline lattice structure leads to its high melting temperature, which is higher than other ionic compounds like NaCl and MgCl₂.
Step-by-step explanation:
Strontium chloride (SrCl₂) melts at a very high temperature of 1477°C because it is an ionic compound, consisting of Sr²⁺ ions and Cl⁻ ions. The high melting point indicates the presence of strong ionic bonds between the ions. The energy required to break these ionic bonds and overcome the electrostatic attractions is significant, leading to the high melting temperature.
Ionic compounds like SrCl₂ have high melting points due to the crystalline lattice structure they form, where each ion is surrounded by oppositely charged ions, maximizing the electrostatic attractive forces throughout the solid. These forces are much stronger than the intermolecular forces present in molecular compounds, resulting in considerably higher melting points for ionic substances.
In comparison to substances like NaCl (801°C) and MgCl₂ (714°C), which are also ionic but have lower melting points, SrCl₂ requires much more thermal energy to reach its melting point due to the different sizes and charges of its constituent ions which make the lattice energy of SrCl₂ higher.