Why Do Covalent Compounds Have Low Melting and Boiling Points?

What are Covalent Compounds?

Covalent compounds are compounds composed of molecules. Molecules are atoms that are held together by covalent bonds. Covalent bonds are formed when two atoms share electrons with each other. This sharing of electrons creates a strong bond between the two atoms.

Why Do Covalent Compounds Have Low Melting and Boiling Points?

Covalent compounds have low melting and boiling points because their molecules do not have strong intermolecular forces. Intermolecular forces are the forces that hold molecules together. These forces are weak in covalent compounds and so the molecules can easily move apart from each other when heated, causing them to melt or boil.

Examples of Covalent Compounds

Examples of covalent compounds include water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia (NH3), and methane (CH4). All of these compounds have low melting and boiling points due to their weak intermolecular forces.

How to Categorize Compounds

You can tell if a compound is covalent or not by looking at its melting and boiling points. Compounds with low melting and boiling points are usually covalent compounds, while compounds with high melting and boiling points are usually ionic compounds.

Conclusion

Covalent compounds have low melting and boiling points because of their weak intermolecular forces. These forces are what hold molecules together, and since covalent compounds have weak forces, the molecules can easily move apart when heated. This is why covalent compounds have low melting and boiling points.