Which of the following statements about the melting temperature of potassium chloride (KCl) is correct?

• A. KCl melts at room temperature.
• B. KCl has a high melting temperature due to strong ionic bonds between K+ and Cl- ions.
• C. KCl has a low melting temperature because it is a covalent compound.
• D. KCl has a variable melting temperature depending on its concentration in water.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the type of bonding in potassium chloride (KCl). KCl is composed of potassium ions (K\^+) and chloride ions (Cl\^-), which form an ionic bond.
2. Recall that ionic bonds are strong electrostatic attractions between oppositely charged ions, which generally result in high melting points for ionic compounds.
3. Understand that melting temperature depends on the strength of the forces holding the particles together. Since ionic bonds are strong, KCl requires a high temperature to overcome these forces and melt.
4. Recognize that KCl does not melt at room temperature because room temperature is too low to break the strong ionic bonds.
5. Note that KCl is not a covalent compound, so it does not have a low melting point due to covalent bonding, and its melting point is a fixed physical property, not dependent on concentration in water.