Describe how bond energy is related to the breaking of covalent bonds.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Bond energy is the energy needed to break a covalent bond. It can be thought of as the measure of bond strength. High bond energy indicates a strong covalent bond (requires more energy to break), while low bond energy indicates a weaker covalent bond (requires less energy to break).

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Bond Energy

Bond energy is the energy required to break a mole of a chemical bond in a chemical compound. It can also be thought of as the energy which is released when a mole of a chemical bond is formed. It is measured in units of energy, which is typically kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).
02

Understanding Covalent Bonds

Covalent bonds are formed when two atoms share electrons in order to obtain a full set of valence electrons and achieve stability. The energy given off or absorbed in the creation or disruption of these bonds is the bond energy.
03

Relating Bond Energy and Covalent Bonds

When a covalent bond breaks, energy is required to force the atoms apart, overcoming the bond energy which is holding them together. The amount of energy needed to break a covalent bond is exactly equal to the bond energy for that bond. Therefore, strong covalent bonds have high bond energies because more energy is needed to break them apart. Conversely, weaker covalent bonds have lower bond energies because less energy is consumed in their breaking process. So, bond energy is a measure of the strength of a covalent bond.

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