Lattice energy of NaF and CaO are -910 kJ/mol and -3414 kJ/mol respectively.Which accounts for almost four fold increase in the lattice energy of CaO?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lattice energy is determined by the magnitude of ionic charge and the distance between the ions. CaO has a higher ionic charge than NaF due to the presence of a +2 charged Ca ion while NaF has a +1 charged Na ion. This difference in charge leads to a greater attraction between the ions in CaO resulting in a higher lattice energy. The ionic radius of the ions is not the primary factor in this case. The fact that Ca is a group II metal is not directly responsible for the large difference in lattice energy.

Lattice Energy of NaF and CaO Are -910 KJ/mol and -3414