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Chapter 21: Problem 83

Of the following oxides, the one with the highest melting point is (a) \(\mathrm{Li}_{2} \mathrm{O} ;\) (b) \(\mathrm{BaO} ;\) (c) \(\mathrm{MgO} ;\) (d) \(\mathrm{SiO}_{2}.\)

Short Answer

Expert verified
The oxide with the highest melting point is SiO2 due to its strong covalent bonding and network structure.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the Type of Bonding

The first step in solving this exercise is to identify the type of bonding in each of the compounds. Li2O, BaO and MgO are ionic compounds because they consist of metal and non-metal ions that are held together by ionic bonding. SiO2, on the other hand, consists of two non-metals and is held together by covalent bonding.
02

Consider the Strength of Bonding

Next, we must think about the strength of the bonds. Metal ions with larger charges tend to form stronger ionic bonds, so we might think that MgO, with its +2 metal ion, would have a stronger bond and thus a higher melting point, than the +1 ion in Li2O or BaO. However, we also have to consider the covalent bonding in SiO2. In SiO2 each silicon atom is bonded to four oxygen atoms, forming a large network covalent structure. This makes SiO2 an extremely strong structure.
03

Analyze the Results

By considering the strength and type of bond in each compound, we can now say that SiO2, with its strong covalent bonding and network structure, will likely have the highest melting point.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

In \(1825,\) Hans Oersted produced aluminum chloride by passing chlorine over a heated mixture of carbon and aluminum oxide. In 1827 , Friedrich Wöhler obtained aluminum by heating aluminum chloride with potassium. Write plausible equations for these reactions.

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Mono Lake in eastern California is a rather unusual salt lake. The lake has no outlets; water leaves only by evaporation. The rate of evaporation is great enough that the lake level would be lowered by three meters per year if not for fresh water entering through underwater springs and streams originating in the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains. The principal salts in the lake are the chlorides, bicarbonates, and sulfates of sodium. An approximate "recipe" for simulating the lake water is to dissolve 18 tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate, 10 tablespoons of sodium chloride, and 8 teaspoons of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate heptahydrate) in 4.5 liters of water (although the lake water actually contains only trace amounts of magnesium ion). Assume that 1 tablespoon of any of the salts weighs about \(10 \mathrm{g} .(1 \text { tablespoon }=3\) teaspoons.) (a) Expressed as grams of salt per liter, what is the approximate salinity of Mono Lake? How does this salinity compare with seawater, which is approximately 0.438 M NaCl and 0.0512 M MgCl_? (b) Estimate an approximate pH for Mono Lake water. How does your estimate compare with the observed \(\mathrm{pH}\) of about \(9.8 ?\) Actually, the recipe for the lake water also calls for a pinch of borax. How would its presence affect the pH? [Borax is a sodium salt, \(\mathrm{Na}_{2} \mathrm{B}_{4} \mathrm{O}_{7} \cdot 10 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O},\) related to the weak monoprotic boric acid \(\left(\mathrm{pK}_{\mathrm{a}}=9.25\right) \cdot\) (c) Mono Lake has some unusual limestone formations called \(t u f\). They form at the site of underwater springs and grow only underwater, although some project above water, having formed at a time when the lake level was higher. Explain how the tufa form. [Hint: What chemical reaction(s) is(are) involved?]
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