melting point criterion

Question

A pure organic solid typically shows a melting point that is:

RankGuru · Accepted Answer

1. **Purity Indicator**: Melting point is one of the most reliable criteria for checking the purity of a solid organic compound.
2. **Pure Compounds**: Melt at a specific temperature. In practice, they show a **sharp melting range** of less than $1\u20132^\circ C$.
3. **Effect of Impurities**: Impurities weaken the crystal lattice.
4. **Mechanism**: This causes the solid to begin melting at a lower temperature than the pure substance's melting point (**melting point depression**) and finish melting over a much **broader range** ($e.g., 5\u201310^\circ C$).
5. **Standard Utility**: Comparison with literature values helps identify the substance and gauge its quality.

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melting point criterion

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