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Chemistry - ionic bonding

Why does sodium oxide have a higher melting point than magnesium fluoride??

The charge density is the same.
Magnesium is a smaller ion than sodium and so is fluorine than oxygen.
Even if we were talking about induced dipole dipole forces mgf2 has more electrons and so it has stronger induced dipole dipole forces.

Why is it after all this sodium oxide still has a higher melting point??
Reply 1
Sodium oxide's boiling point is lower than magnesium flurides. You have stated the reason however don't consider the dipole dipole when comparing boiling points as the compounds are ionic thus have charges not dipoles.
Original post by Mathushan2001
Why does sodium oxide have a higher melting point than magnesium fluoride??

The charge density is the same.
Magnesium is a smaller ion than sodium and so is fluorine than oxygen.
Even if we were talking about induced dipole dipole forces mgf2 has more electrons and so it has stronger induced dipole dipole forces.

Why is it after all this sodium oxide still has a higher melting point??


This is because sodium oxide is an ionic compound because Na is a metal and Oxygen is a non metal thus are held by oppositely strong ions this requires strong electrostatic energy to separate bonds apart and as well as this sodium oxide has a GREATER electronegativity that magnesium flouride and again more energy needed to break bonds apart magnesium flouride is also ionic but it Dosent have a strong electrostatic attraction compared to sodium oxide as it’s closer to the nucleus I hope this help feel free to message me !!
Original post by dhruvap
Sodium oxide's boiling point is lower than magnesium flurides. You have stated the reason however don't consider the dipole dipole when comparing boiling points as the compounds are ionic thus have charges not dipoles.


As part of a question in my ocr chemistry revision guide it says sodium oxide has a higher melting point.
Reply 4
Original post by Mathushan2001
As part of a question in my ocr chemistry revision guide it says sodium oxide has a higher melting point.


I checked on google maybe your textbook got it wrong. Let me know I'm interested if what the textbook is saying is actually true.
Original post by dhruvap
I checked on google maybe your textbook got it wrong. Let me know I'm interested if what the textbook is saying is actually true.


I double checked and asked my teachers, even though they were not able to give me a valid explanation they seemed to agree with the fact that the melting point of sodium oxide was in fact higher than magnesium fluoride.

Thank you for your time.
Reply 6
Original post by Mathushan2001
I double checked and asked my teachers, even though they were not able to give me a valid explanation they seemed to agree with the fact that the melting point of sodium oxide was in fact higher than magnesium fluoride.

Thank you for your time.


No problem thanks for getting back to me.

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