Which of the following statements correctly describes bond energy?

• A. Bond energy refers to the energy needed to convert a liquid into a gas.
• B. Bond energy is the energy released when a bond is formed between two atoms in the solid state.
• C. Bond energy is the amount of energy required to break one mole of a specific type of bond in a gaseous molecule.
• D. Bond energy is always the same for all types of chemical bonds.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of bond energy. Bond energy is defined as the amount of energy required to break one mole of a specific type of bond in gaseous molecules, converting bonded atoms into separate gaseous atoms.
2. Step 2: Recognize that bond energy is an endothermic process because energy must be absorbed to break chemical bonds, unlike energy released when bonds form.
3. Step 3: Differentiate bond energy from other energy concepts such as heat of vaporization, which is the energy needed to convert a liquid into a gas, and is unrelated to breaking chemical bonds directly.
4. Step 4: Note that bond energy varies depending on the type of bond and the atoms involved; it is not a constant value for all bonds.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct description of bond energy is the energy required to break one mole of a specific bond in gaseous molecules, which aligns with the third statement in the problem.