Which factor drastically affects the melting point ($ ext{MP}$) of isomers but has minimal effect on their boiling point ($ ext{BP}$)?
Answer
Molecular packing efficiency in the crystal lattice
Melting points depend heavily on how efficiently molecules pack into a rigid, ordered crystal lattice. Molecular shape dictates this efficiency, which is disproportionately critical for MP compared to BP, where molecules are already separated in the liquid state.
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