Question
Explain why most ionic compounds are hard solids at room temperature, whereas most small molecular substances, such as $\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}$ and $\mathrm{O}_{2}$, are liquids or gases.
Step 1
Ionic compounds are held together by strong electrostatic forces between positive and negative ions, known as ionic bonds. On the other hand, small molecular substances are held together by relatively weaker intermolecular forces such as hydrogen bonding and Show more…
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