Melting and Boiling Points

[Isabella Barkett 1G]

What are the differences in the melting and boiling points of ionic and covalent bonds?

[Marisol Sanchez - 1E]

Since covalent bonds share electrons, they tend to have lower melting points compared to ionic bonds that lose or gain electrons. In the same line of thinking, covalent bonds also have lower boiling points compared to ionic bonds and this is due to the fact that the electrostatic attraction between covalent bonds is weaker than the attraction found in ionic bonds. Therefore, more energy is required to break them.

[Chem_Mod]

When we melt or freeze a compound, we are not changing its bonds, this is the difference between a physical change and a chemical change. Melting and freezing points are determined by pressure and intermolecular forces(van der waals, hydrogen bonding, etc). While the strength of certain bonds and the differences in types of bonds in a molecule contribute to the overall physical properties of a molecule, they are not being broken or formed in melting or freezing.

[Shimran Kumar 1C]

Covalent bonds, since they share electrons, absorb less energy than ionic bonds do before breaking. Melting and boiling point are both just a measure of how much heat, so how much energy, is required to move to the next state of matter. Thus, both the melting and boiling point of covalent bonds are lower than of ionic.