Explain why ionic compounds usually have high melting points and high boiling points.

In the subtopic Properties of ionic compounds, this learning objective focuses on explain why ionic compounds usually have high melting points and high boiling points. Within How bonding and structure are related to the properties of substances, students should explain this idea in the exact curriculum context rather than as an isolated fact. Approved keywords for this objective include ionic compound, high melting point, and high boiling point. ionic compound means a substance formed from the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions, typically resulting in a regular giant ionic lattice structure. Avoid students often think that ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points because of the size of the ions involved; instead emphasize that the high melting and boiling points of ionic compounds are due to the strong electrostatic attractions between oppositely charged ions, not their size. For exam answers, focus on the strong electrostatic forces between oppositely charged ions when studying ionic compounds.