Lattice energies

Definition

Lattice energy is the amount of energy required to separate one mole of an ionic compound into its gaseous ions. It measures the strength of the electrostatic attraction between these ions in the crystal lattice structure.

Related terms

Crystal lattice: A repeating three-dimensional arrangement of ions or molecules in a solid.

Ionization energy: The amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion in the gaseous state.

Ionic bond: A chemical bond formed by the electrostatic attraction between positively and negatively charged ions.