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Ch.10 - Chemical Bonding I: The Lewis Model
Chapter 10, Problem 48

Arrange these compounds in order of increasing magnitude of lattice energy: CaO, NaBr, CsI, BaS.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Lattice Energy

Lattice energy is the amount of energy released when gaseous ions combine to form an ionic solid. It is a measure of the strength of the forces between the ions in an ionic compound. Higher lattice energy indicates stronger ionic bonds, which typically results from smaller ions with higher charges.
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Ionic Size and Charge

The size and charge of the ions in a compound significantly influence lattice energy. Smaller ions can pack more closely together, leading to stronger electrostatic attractions. Additionally, ions with higher charges produce stronger interactions, resulting in greater lattice energy compared to those with lower charges.
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Trends in Lattice Energy

Lattice energy trends can be predicted based on the ionic compounds' composition. Generally, for compounds with similar ionic charges, lattice energy increases with decreasing ionic size. For example, comparing compounds like NaBr and CsI, NaBr has a higher lattice energy due to the smaller size of Na+ compared to Cs+.
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