Question

The melting points and boiling points of some ionic compounds are given below : | Compound | Melting Point (K) | Boiling Point (K) | |----------|-------------------|-------------------| | NaCl | 1074 | 1686 | | LiCl | 887 | 1600 | | CaCl₂ | 1045 | 1900 | | CaO | 2850 | 3120 | | MgCl₂ | 981 | 1685 | These compounds are termed ionic because they are formed by the transfer of electrons from a metal to a non-metal. The electron transfer in such compounds is controlled by the electronic configuration of the elements involved. Every element tends to attain a completely filled valence shell of its nearest noble gas or a stable octet.