Which term describes the energy associated with creating a crystal lattice from separated atoms?

• A. Lattice Energy
• B. Resonance
• C. Ionic Compound
• D. Structural Formula

Answer: (A)

Lattice energy is the energy involved when building a crystal lattice from separated ions. It represents the energy released as gas-phase ions come together to form an ionic solid, reflecting how strongly the ions attract each other in the lattice. The magnitude grows with higher charges and smaller ionic radii, since electrostatic attraction is stronger under those conditions. If you flip the process, breaking the lattice into gaseous ions requires the same amount of energy, so lattice energy can be viewed as the energy change for lattice formation or dissociation. The other terms don’t describe this energy: resonance relates to electron delocalization, an ionic compound is a type of substance, and a structural formula shows connectivity rather than energy.