Why does sodium chloride have a very high melting point?

Sodium chloride, commonly known as table salt, has a very high melting point due to its giant ionic structure, which is characterized by a three-dimensional lattice of alternating positively charged sodium ions and negatively charged chloride ions. The high melting point can be attributed to the strong electrostatic forces of attraction between the oppositely charged ions. These forces, known as ionic bonds, are much stronger than the intermolecular forces found in simpler molecular compounds.

In this ionic lattice, each sodium ion is surrounded by multiple chloride ions, and vice versa, creating a stable structure that requires a significant amount of energy to overcome the forces holding the ions in place. As a result, a high temperature is necessary to supply enough energy to break these strong ionic bonds, leading to the high melting point observed for sodium chloride.

The other options suggest structures and types of bonds that do not apply to sodium chloride: simple molecular structures with weak forces, weak covalent bonds, and van der Waals forces do not account for the significant strength and stability present in the giant ionic structure of sodium chloride.