Network covalent solids tend to have:

Answer: Very high melting points and hardness Atoms held together by an extended network of covalent bonds (diamond, SiO2) require enormous energy to disrupt, giving high MP and hardness.

A characteristic property of ionic solids like the lattice shown is:

Answer: High melting point and brittle Strong electrostatic attractions in 3D ionic lattices yield high melting points; mismatched layers cause brittleness on shear.

Quartz (SiO₂) is a network covalent solid where Si is covalently bonded to 4 oxygens, and each oxygen bridges two Si. This explains its

Answer: High melting point and hardness Network covalent solids require breaking covalent bonds to melt or fracture → high MP, hardness; insoluble in most solvents.

AP Chemistry · Topic 3.2

Properties of Solids Practice

Part of Properties of Substances and Mixtures.(SAP-5.B)

Practice questions

Want a predicted score for the whole AP CHEM exam? Take the 20-question diagnostic and Lumi will plan the rest.

Take diagnosticarrow_forward Practice all 3.2

Sample questions

5 of 5 — sign in to practice the rest with adaptive difficulty and mastery tracking.

Sample 1difficulty 2/5
$Network covalent solids tend to have:$
- A
  $Very high melting points and hardness$
  check_circle
- B
  $Good electrical conductivity$
- C
  $Low melting points$
- D
  $Volatility$
Why
$Atoms held together by an extended network of covalent bonds (diamond, SiO2) require enormous energy to disrupt, giving high MP and hardness.$
View full solution & statsarrow_forward
Sample 2difficulty 2/5
$A characteristic property of ionic solids like the lattice shown is:$
- A
  $Low melting point and soft$
- B
  $Volatile at room temperature$
- C
  $High melting point and brittle$
  check_circle
- D
  $Conductive as a solid$
Why
$Strong electrostatic attractions in 3D ionic lattices yield high melting points; mismatched layers cause brittleness on shear.$
View full solution & statsarrow_forward
Sample 3difficulty 2/5
$Quartz (SiO₂) is a network covalent solid where Si is covalently bonded to 4 oxygens, and each oxygen bridges two Si. This explains its$
- A
  $High melting point and hardness$
  check_circle
- B
  $Conductivity$
- C
  $Solubility in water$
- D
  $Low melting point$
Why
$Network covalent solids require breaking covalent bonds to melt or fracture → high MP, hardness; insoluble in most solvents.$
View full solution & statsarrow_forward
Sample 4difficulty 3/5
$Which solid type typically has the HIGHEST melting point?$
- A
  $Ionic solid$
- B
  $Metallic solid$
- C
  $Molecular solid (e.g., ice, sucrose)$
- D
  $Network covalent solid (e.g., diamond, quartz)$
  check_circle
Why
$Network covalent solids require breaking strong covalent bonds (3D network) to melt — typically thousands of °C.$
View full solution & statsarrow_forward
Sample 5difficulty 4/5
$The chart compares melting points: NaCl (801°C), SiO2 (1713°C), and CO2 (-78°C). The vertical bar height represents melting point.$
$The very low melting point of CO2 (a molecular solid) is best explained by:$
- A
  $Lack of nuclei in CO2$
- B
  $Weak ionic bonds in CO2$
- C
  $Weak C=O double bonds$
- D
  $Only weak intermolecular forces (London dispersion) hold CO2 molecules together$
  check_circle
Why
$Within each CO2 molecule, the C=O bonds are strong, but only weak London dispersion forces hold molecules to one another, so CO2 melts at very low temperature.$
View full solution & statsarrow_forward

Predict my AP scorearrow_forward