Ionic bonds play a big role in how easily compounds melt and boil. These bonds happen when atoms move electrons around. This creates positive and negative ions.

The strong attraction between these oppositely charged ions creates stable structures called ionic lattices.

Characteristics of Ionic Compounds:

1. High Melting and Boiling Points:

   • Ionic compounds like table salt (NaCl) have high melting points. They can melt at temperatures over 800°C. This happens because it takes a lot of energy to break the strong ionic bonds to turn the solid into a liquid or gas.

2. Explanation:

   • The stronger the charges on the ions, the stronger their attraction to each other. For example, magnesium oxide (MgO) has ions with charges of 2+ and 2-, which makes its melting point even higher than that of NaCl because of the stronger bonds.

3. Examples:

   • Table salt (NaCl) melts at about 801°C. On the other hand, potassium bromide (KBr) melts at around 734°C. This difference shows how the size and charge of the ions can affect melting points.

In summary, strong ionic bonds in compounds usually lead to high melting and boiling points. This makes ionic compounds different from covalent compounds, which melt and boil at lower temperatures due to weaker forces between them.