What drives the high melting points of ionic compounds?

High melting points of ionic compounds are primarily attributed to the strong electrostatic forces between ions. In ionic compounds, positive and negative ions are held together in a crystalline lattice structure. This lattice arrangement maximizes the attraction between oppositely charged ions and minimizes repulsion between like charges.

The strength of the electrostatic forces is significantly high due to the charge of the ions and the short distance between them within the lattice. As a result, a substantial amount of energy is required to overcome these attractions and separate the ions during the melting process, which contributes to the high melting points observed in ionic compounds.

In contrast, the presence of free electrons is more characteristic of metallic bonds, while weak forces typically relate to molecular compounds, where van der Waals or hydrogen bonds come into play, leading to lower melting points. Environmental temperature does not influence the intrinsic properties of the ionic bonds but rather affects the conditions under which melting may occur. Thus, the electrostatic forces between the ions are the key factor driving the high melting points of ionic compounds.