In it’s simplest incarnation ionic bonding can be quantified by representing the ions in an ionic compound as point charges and calculating the attractions and repulsions between these charges. More realistic calculations of the lattice energy, the internal energy associated with the formation of an ionic compound from gas phase cations and anions, can be made by adding a repulsive term. This approach leads to the Born-Meyer equation. This lecture was designed and delivered by Patrick Woodward for use in the course Solid State Chemistry (Chem 7330) at Ohio State University.
