Question
What is required in terms of bond energies of reactants and products for a reaction to be exothermic
Answers
Answered by
GPT 3.5
In order for a reaction to be exothermic, the bond energies of the reactants must be higher than the bond energies of the products.
Reactants have stored energy in the form of chemical bonds, and when a chemical reaction takes place, these bonds are broken, and new bonds are formed to create the products. If the bonds formed in the products are stronger than the bonds broken in the reactants, then the excess energy is released as heat, making the reaction exothermic.
Therefore, for a reaction to be exothermic, the bond energies of the reactants need to be greater than the bond energies of the products.
Reactants have stored energy in the form of chemical bonds, and when a chemical reaction takes place, these bonds are broken, and new bonds are formed to create the products. If the bonds formed in the products are stronger than the bonds broken in the reactants, then the excess energy is released as heat, making the reaction exothermic.
Therefore, for a reaction to be exothermic, the bond energies of the reactants need to be greater than the bond energies of the products.