Why does diamond have a high melting point?

Why does diamond have a high melting point?

• A. The strong covalent bonds take a lot of energy to break
• B. Weak intermolecular forces
• C. It is a metal
• D. It has a low density

Answer: (A)

Melting point reflects how strongly the forces hold the solid together. Diamond is a giant covalent lattice where each carbon atom is bonded to four others in a rigid 3D network. Those covalent bonds are very strong, and melting requires breaking many of them across the whole structure, which needs a lot of energy. That’s why diamond has a very high melting point. It isn’t held together by weak intermolecular forces in molecules, it isn’t a metal, and density doesn’t determine melting point, so those options don’t explain the behavior.

Melting point reflects how strongly the forces hold the solid together. Diamond is a giant covalent lattice where each carbon atom is bonded to four others in a rigid 3D network. Those covalent bonds are very strong, and melting requires breaking many of them across the whole structure, which needs a lot of energy. That’s why diamond has a very high melting point. It isn’t held together by weak intermolecular forces in molecules, it isn’t a metal, and density doesn’t determine melting point, so those options don’t explain the behavior.