Why do metal and non-metal materials have such vastly different melting and boiling points?

Question

Explain in terms of particle bonds and the forces between them.

Answer 1

The melting point and boiling point are physical characteristics that are based on the inter-mollecular forces. There are a few important ones: dispersion, hydrogen bonds, dipole dipole, ion dipole, electrotatic. The stronger these forces the higher the boiling point will be. For example, water is considered to have a high boiling point because of the high amount of hydrogen bond between the oxygen of one molecule to the hydrogen of another. Metals tend to form metallic bonds with itself, which is why they are usually solids at room temperature, and have extremely high boiling points. It would take a lot of energy to boil solid potassium due to these metallic bonds. In summary, the differences in boiling and melting points come from the bonding pattern the molecules follow.