Which of the following compounds would theoretically have the highest melting point?

Answer

H2O

FeO

CO2

C6H12O6

Being that FeO has a metal in it and a pretty strong bonding force, I would say Iron(II)Oxide. CO2 is low, H2O is 0 degrees Celsius, and sugar is relatively low as well.

To determine which of the following compounds would theoretically have the highest melting point, we need to consider factors such as intermolecular forces and molecular structure.

In general, compounds with stronger intermolecular forces tend to have higher melting points. Intermolecular forces are the forces of attraction between molecules, and they can be influenced by factors such as molecular size, polarity, and hydrogen bonding.

Let's analyze each compound to determine its potential melting point:

1. H2O (Water):
Water is a polar molecule and exhibits hydrogen bonding between its molecules. Hydrogen bonding is a strong intermolecular force that significantly increases the melting point of a compound. Due to its strong hydrogen bonding, water has a relatively high melting point.

2. FeO (Iron(II) oxide):
FeO is an ionic compound composed of positively charged Fe2+ ions and negatively charged O2- ions. Ionic compounds have strong electrostatic attractions between their ions, resulting in high melting points. Therefore, FeO is expected to have a high melting point.

3. CO2 (Carbon dioxide):
CO2 is a nonpolar molecule, and it does not exhibit significant intermolecular forces such as hydrogen bonding. Nonpolar compounds typically have weaker intermolecular forces, resulting in lower melting points. Thus, CO2 is expected to have a lower melting point compared to H2O and FeO.

4. C6H12O6 (Glucose):
Glucose is a polar molecule, and it can exhibit hydrogen bonding between its molecules. Similar to water, the presence of strong hydrogen bonding increases the melting point of glucose.

Based on the analysis, the compound that would theoretically have the highest melting point is FeO, followed by H2O, C6H12O6, and CO2.