Ionic Compounds: Think of an ionic compound as a sea of ions. All these ions are carefully arranged in some sort of 3D pattern with positive and negative ions in specific locations in the pattern. Take common table salt, Sodium Chloride, as an example. In Sodium Chloride, there aren\'t specific NaCl molecules, but a mix of Na+ ions and Cl- ions. Each Na+ ion is surrounded by Cl- ions, and each Cl- ion is surrounded by Na+ ions. The whole structure is held together by the attraction between the positive and negative ions. Molecular Substances: A molecule is a group of atoms which are sharing electrons with one another through covalent bonds. Because the sharing results in a lower energy state, the atoms are more stable together than alone. When a sample of a molecular substance is looked at, say water (H2O), within the substance each molecule is being attracted to other molecules. These attractive forces are called intermolecular forces and they are much weaker than covalent bonds or ionic bonds. For a substance to melt and then boil, the forces which hold the substance together must be broken. When water boils, the intermolecular forces between H2O molecules are broken and the molecules separate from one another. (Note that the covalent bonds are NOT broken, the gas is still made up of H2O molecules, they\'re just not \"sticking\" to one another anymore.) As you can imagine, the ionic forces holding an ionic compound together are MUCH stronger than the intermolecular forces holding a molecular substance together. A lot more energy is required to break the ionic bonds. So, ionic substances melt at very high temperatures and boil at even higher temperatures. Solution Ionic Compounds: Think of an ionic compound as a sea of ions. All these ions are carefully arranged in some sort of 3D pattern with positive and negative ions in specific locations in the pattern. Take common table salt, Sodium Chloride, as an example. In Sodium Chloride, there aren\'t specific NaCl molecules, but a mix of Na+ ions and Cl- ions. Each Na+ ion is surrounded by Cl- ions, and each Cl- ion is surrounded by Na+ ions. The whole structure is held together by the attraction between the positive and negative ions. Molecular Substances: A molecule is a group of atoms which are sharing electrons with one another through covalent bonds. Because the sharing results in a lower energy state, the atoms are more stable together than alone. When a sample of a molecular substance is looked at, say water (H2O), within the substance each molecule is being attracted to other molecules. These attractive forces are called intermolecular forces and they are much weaker than covalent bonds or ionic bonds. For a substance to melt and then boil, the forces which hold the substance together must be broken. When water boils, the intermolecular forces between H2O molecules are broken and the molecules separate from one another. (Note that the covalent bonds are NOT broken, the gas is still made u.

1. Ionic Compounds: Think of an ionic compound as a sea of ions. All these ions are
carefully arranged in some sort of 3D pattern with positive and negative ions in specific locations
in the pattern. Take common table salt, Sodium Chloride, as an example. In Sodium Chloride,
there aren't specific NaCl molecules, but a mix of Na+ ions and Cl- ions. Each Na+ ion is
surrounded by Cl- ions, and each Cl- ion is surrounded by Na+ ions. The whole structure is held
together by the attraction between the positive and negative ions. Molecular Substances: A
molecule is a group of atoms which are sharing electrons with one another through covalent
bonds. Because the sharing results in a lower energy state, the atoms are more stable together
than alone. When a sample of a molecular substance is looked at, say water (H2O), within the
substance each molecule is being attracted to other molecules. These attractive forces are called
intermolecular forces and they are much weaker than covalent bonds or ionic bonds. For a
substance to melt and then boil, the forces which hold the substance together must be broken.
When water boils, the intermolecular forces between H2O molecules are broken and the
molecules separate from one another. (Note that the covalent bonds are NOT broken, the gas is
still made up of H2O molecules, they're just not "sticking" to one another anymore.) As you
can imagine, the ionic forces holding an ionic compound together are MUCH stronger than the
intermolecular forces holding a molecular substance together. A lot more energy is required to
break the ionic bonds. So, ionic substances melt at very high temperatures and boil at even
higher temperatures.
Solution
Ionic Compounds: Think of an ionic compound as a sea of ions. All these ions are
carefully arranged in some sort of 3D pattern with positive and negative ions in specific locations
in the pattern. Take common table salt, Sodium Chloride, as an example. In Sodium Chloride,
there aren't specific NaCl molecules, but a mix of Na+ ions and Cl- ions. Each Na+ ion is
surrounded by Cl- ions, and each Cl- ion is surrounded by Na+ ions. The whole structure is held
together by the attraction between the positive and negative ions. Molecular Substances: A
molecule is a group of atoms which are sharing electrons with one another through covalent
bonds. Because the sharing results in a lower energy state, the atoms are more stable together
than alone. When a sample of a molecular substance is looked at, say water (H2O), within the
substance each molecule is being attracted to other molecules. These attractive forces are called
intermolecular forces and they are much weaker than covalent bonds or ionic bonds. For a
substance to melt and then boil, the forces which hold the substance together must be broken.
When water boils, the intermolecular forces between H2O molecules are broken and the
molecules separate from one another. (Note that the covalent bonds are NOT broken, the gas is
still made up of H2O molecules, they're just not "sticking" to one another anymore.) As you

2. can imagine, the ionic forces holding an ionic compound together are MUCH stronger than the
intermolecular forces holding a molecular substance together. A lot more energy is required to
break the ionic bonds. So, ionic substances melt at very high temperatures and boil at even
higher temperatures.