Final answer:
Determining a compound's melting point does not reveal its functional groups. Measuring melting point can contribute to characterizing a compound, establishing its identity, and indicating its purity but not its chemical structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Determining a compound's melting point is a technique often used in chemistry to help characterize a compound and establish its identity. Melting points can indicate a compound's purity, as impurities typically lower the melting point and broaden the melting point range. However, measuring a melting point typically does not identify its functional group(s). The melting point is more of a physical property rather than a chemical property that would reveal specific functional groups within a molecule.
Empirical and molecular formulas of compounds can tell us about their composition, which can aid in determining its structural features but not necessarily its melting point. Also, different substances can share the same melting point, so it does not serve as an exclusive method for functional group identification.
Review questions help us understand the context better: molecular compounds generally have lower melting points than ionic compounds because of the difference in force types and magnitudes holding their respective particles together. Ionic compounds do not conduct electricity in a solid state but do when molten or dissolved in water because their ions are free to move. Water-soluble substances typically include polar and ionic compounds due to their ability to interact with polar water molecules.