Which statement correctly describes the relationship between bond length and bond strength?

• A. Bond strength increases as bond length increases.
• B. Longer bonds are generally stronger than shorter bonds.
• C. Shorter bonds are generally stronger than longer bonds.
• D. Bond length and bond strength are unrelated.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the definitions: Bond length is the average distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms, while bond strength refers to the amount of energy required to break the bond (bond dissociation energy).
2. Recall the general trend in chemical bonding: As bond length decreases, the bonded atoms are closer together, which usually means a stronger attraction between them.
3. Recognize that shorter bonds typically involve greater overlap of atomic orbitals, leading to stronger bonds and higher bond dissociation energies.
4. Conversely, longer bonds have less orbital overlap, resulting in weaker bonds that require less energy to break.
5. Therefore, the correct relationship is that shorter bonds are generally stronger than longer bonds, meaning bond strength increases as bond length decreases.