Question

Use the example bond energies of ionic versus covalent bonds to complete the activity.Ionic: Li–Br = 807 kJ/mol, NaCl = 787 kJ/molCovalent: H–H = 432 kJ/mol, C–O = 358 kJ/molWhat is the general trend you notice about the bond energies for ionic versus covalent bonds? What can be inferred from this pattern? What special attribute can explain why this difference occurs? Construct your argument in three to five sentences.

Answer 1

make it three sentences

Answer 2

make is smaller

Answer 3

The bond energies for ionic compounds, such as Li–Br (807 kJ/mol) and NaCl (787 kJ/mol), are significantly higher than those of covalent bonds like H–H (432 kJ/mol) and C–O (358 kJ/mol). This trend indicates that ionic bonds, which involve the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions, typically require more energy to break than covalent bonds, where electrons are shared between atoms. The stronger attractive forces in ionic compounds arise from the full charges of the ions, whereas covalent bonds involve only partial charges. Consequently, this difference in bond energies largely reflects the nature of the bonding: ionic bonds are stronger due to their ionic character and the resulting lattice structures, leading to greater stability and higher bond energies compared to covalent bonds.