Final answer:
Ionic compounds exhibit high melting points due to the strong ionic bonds in their crystal lattice structure, requiring significant energy to break them and transition from solid to liquid state. For example, sodium chloride melts around 800°C compared to ice at 0°C, illustrating the substantial difference in bond strength and resulting melting points.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding the Melting Points of Ionic Compounds
The melting point of ionic compounds is characterized by being very high. Ionic compounds have high melting points because they are composed of oppositely charged ions that are held together by strong ionic bonds in a crystal lattice structure. For instance, sodium chloride, an ionic compound, has a melting point of about 800°C. This high melting temperature emerges from the necessity to add a significant amount of energy to break the many strong bonds within the crystal lattice during the melting process.
In contrast, molecular compounds like water have much lower melting points due to weaker intermolecular forces, like hydrogen bonds. So while the melting point of ice is at 0°C, much less energy is required to overcome these weaker bonds compared to the ionic bonds in sodium chloride.
Another interesting note is that solutions of ionic compounds and their melted forms can conduct electricity, unlike their solid state, which does not conduct electricity. This is because the ions are free to move in the liquid state but are held rigidly in place in the solid state, preventing the flow of charge.