Moderate

Magnesium oxide is used to line industrial furnaces because it has a very high melting point. Which type of bond needs to be broken for magnesium oxide to melt?

Correct answer: B. Ionic bond

  • A. Co-ordinate bond
  • B. Ionic bond
  • C. Covalent bond
  • D. Metallic bond

Explanation

Option B is correct.The type of bond that needs to be broken for magnesium oxide to melt is an ionic bond. Magnesium oxide is an ionic compound, which means that it is made up of positive and negative ions that are held together by electrostatic forces. The magnesium ion (Mg2+) is positively charged, and the oxygen ion (O2-) is negatively charged. The two ions are attracted to each other by their opposite charges. In order for magnesium oxide to melt, the ionic bonds between the magnesium ions and the oxygen ions need to be broken. This can be done by adding heat energy. When the heat energy is added, the ions are able to move around more freely, and the solid magnesium oxide melts.

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Chemical bonding explains molecular shape through VSEPR theory and distinguishes sigma bonds from pi bonds. Questions involve hybridization, bond angles, dipole moment and bond energy, including how electron-pair repulsion determines geometry and how bond polarity differs from the overall polarity of a molecule.

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