Which of the following statements about bond breaking is true?

• A. Bond breaking occurs spontaneously without any energy change.
• B. Bond breaking always requires an input of energy.
• C. Bond breaking releases energy to the surroundings.
• D. Bond breaking only occurs in ionic compounds.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that bond breaking involves overcoming the attractive forces between atoms in a molecule or compound.
2. Recall that to break a chemical bond, energy must be supplied to overcome the bond's stability; this energy input is called bond dissociation energy.
3. Recognize that because energy is required to break bonds, bond breaking is an endothermic process, meaning it absorbs energy rather than releasing it.
4. Note that bond breaking is not limited to ionic compounds; it occurs in covalent and ionic bonds alike whenever a chemical reaction or physical process requires it.
5. Conclude that the true statement is: 'Bond breaking always requires an input of energy,' because bond breaking cannot happen spontaneously without energy input.