melting point
The Relationship between Lattice Energies and Physical Properties The magnitude of the forces that hold an ionic substance together has a dramatic effect on many of its properties. The melting point, for example, is the temperature at which the individual ions have enough kinetic energy to overcome the attractive forces that hold them in place. At the melting point, the ions can move freely, and the substance becomes a liquid. Thus melting points vary with lattice energies for ionic substances that have similar structures. The melting points of the sodium halides Figure 8.3 "A Plot of Melting Point versus the Identity of the Halide for the Sodium Halides" , for example, decrease smoothly from NaF to NaI, following the same trend as seen for their lattice energies Figure 8.2 "A Plot of Lattice Energy versus the Identity of the Halide for the Lithium, Sodium, and Potassium Halides" . Similarly, the melting point of MgO is 2825C, compared with 996C for NaF, reflecting the higher lattice energies associated with higher charges on the ions. In fact, because of its high melting point, MgO is used as an electrical insulator in heating elements for electric stoves. Figure 8.3 A Plot of Melting Point versus the Identity of the Halide for the Sodium Halides.