The dissociation energy of an ionic compound is the negative of the potential energy of the positive-negative ion system when the ions are
A)touching.
B)infinitely far apart.
C)still atoms and have not yet been ionized.
D)at the equilibrium separation.
E)completely dissolved in a solvent.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The dissociation energy of an ionic compound is the energy required to separate the ions of the compound from each other into gaseous ions. This energy is equal to the potential energy of the positive-negative ion system when the ions are at the equilibrium separation, which is the distance of the minimum potential energy. Therefore, the best choice is D, at the equilibrium separation.

The Dissociation Energy of an Ionic Compound Is the Negative