Question

Melting points and boiling points of ionic compounds are generally ______ than those of covalent compounds.

Answer 1

Melting points and boiling points of ionic compounds are generally higher than those of covalent compounds.

Explanation:

Ionic compounds are held together by very strong electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged ions in a 3D lattice network. Breaking these strong ionic bonds requires a massive amount of thermal energy. In contrast, covalent compounds are held together by much weaker intermolecular forces, which break easily at lower temperatures.