Bond energy of reactants is ______ than the bond energy released when new products are formed.

The bond energy of reactants is generally higher than the bond energy released when new products are formed in an exothermic reaction. In exothermic reactions, more energy is released during the formation of product bonds than is required to break the bonds in the reactants, leading to a net release of energy. Conversely, in endothermic reactions, the bond energy of reactants may be lower than that of the products, resulting in a net absorption of energy.