Variation of melting

points
ELEM ENT S AND CO M PO UNDS
Melting points
G The graph showsa repeati ng pattern,
or periodicity, correspondi ng to
readi ng down the periodsof the
periodic table.
G The structure of peri ods2 and 3
wi th regard to the nature of the
elements, i s:
Elementshavi ng a metalli c structure:
melting point i ncreasi ng
Elementshavi ng a gi ant covalent
structure: melti ng poi nt maxi mum
Elementshavi ng a si mple covalent
structure: melti ng poi nt decreasi ng
G I n general, the melti ng poi nt i ncreases
at the start of these peri ods,
correspondi ng to elementsthat have
metalli c structure. The melti ng poi nt i s
at maxi mum for elementsthat have a
gi ant covalent structure ( labeled on
the graph) . After thi s, the melti ng
poi nt rapi dly fallsto low values,
correspondi ng to those elementsthat
have a si mple covalent structure.
element
melting point
period
periodicity
periodic table
Key words
30
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C
2 , 5 0 0
9 0
Atomic number
2 , 0 0 0
1 , 0 0 0
5 0 0
0
0 8 0 7 0 6 0 5 0 4 0 3 0 2 0 1 0
a
b
d
c
e
1 , 5 0 0
3 , 0 0 0
a C a rb o n
b S i li co n
c Va n a d i u m
d M o ly b d e n u m
e Tu n g ste n
D
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