Question

A curious student is observing the bond energy table shown. They notice the bond energy for 1 type of O-O bond is 499 kJ and another is 142 kJ. Why do you think these bond energies are different? (4 pts)

Answer 1

The bond energy between two atoms will vary depending on the type of bond being formed. In the case of O-O bonds, the bond energy can vary depending on whether the bond is a single bond or a double bond. A single bond involves the sharing of two electrons between the two oxygen atoms, resulting in a bond energy of 499 kJ. On the other hand, a double bond involves the sharing of four electrons, resulting in a stronger bond and a higher bond energy of 142 kJ. Therefore, the differences in bond energies for different O-O bonds can be attributed to the number of electron pairs being shared between the atoms, with a greater number of shared electron pairs resulting in a stronger bond and higher bond energy.