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Lattice Energy

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Lattice energy is the energy needed to pull one mole of an ionic solid apart into free gaseous ions, a positive quantity gauging bond strength.

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Separating solid sodium chloride into gaseous Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions requires a large, positive lattice energy.

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Some define lattice energy as energy released forming the solid, a negative value; this course uses the positive, separation-energy definition.