Question

The closer the atoms are together the higher bond energy and the higher the chemical potential energy. True or False

Answers

GPT-4o mini
False.

In general, the bond energy refers to the energy required to break a bond between atoms, while chemical potential energy is the energy stored in the chemical bonds of a substance. Atoms that are very close together can experience repulsive forces due to the overlap of their electron clouds, which can lead to increased energy and instability.

When atoms are at an optimal distance apart, the attractive forces between them are balanced with the repulsive forces, resulting in a stable bond with high bond energy. Therefore, as atoms get closer than this optimal distance, bond energy typically decreases, and the potential energy tends to increase, making the system less stable.

So, the statement that "the closer the atoms are together the higher bond energy and the higher the chemical potential energy" is false.