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Ch.8 - Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding
Chapter 8, Problem 71e

State whether each of these statements is true or false. (e) The longer the bond, the more energy is stored chemical bonds.

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Understand the relationship between bond length and bond energy.
Recall that bond energy is the energy required to break a bond.
Note that generally, shorter bonds are stronger and have higher bond energies.
Recognize that longer bonds are typically weaker and have lower bond energies.
Conclude that the statement is false because longer bonds store less energy.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Bond Length and Bond Energy

Bond length refers to the distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms. Generally, longer bonds are associated with lower bond energy, meaning they are weaker and require less energy to break. This is because the atoms are held together less tightly, allowing for greater movement and less overlap of their electron clouds.
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Types of Chemical Bonds

Chemical bonds can be classified into different types, such as ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds. Each type has distinct characteristics regarding bond length and energy. For instance, covalent bonds can vary in length and strength depending on the atoms involved, while ionic bonds typically have shorter, stronger interactions due to the electrostatic forces between charged ions.
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Energy Storage in Chemical Bonds

Chemical bonds store energy, which can be released or absorbed during chemical reactions. The energy stored in a bond is related to its strength; stronger bonds (shorter lengths) store more energy. Therefore, the statement that longer bonds store more energy is false, as weaker, longer bonds actually store less energy.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Some chemists believe that satisfaction of the octet rule should be the top criterion for choosing the dominant Lewis structure of a molecule or ion. Other chemists believe that achieving the best formal charges should be the top criterion. Consider the dihydrogen phosphate ion, H2PO4-, in which the H atoms are bonded to O atoms. (a) What is the predicted dominant Lewis structure if satisfying the octet rule is the top criterion?

Textbook Question

Some chemists believe that satisfaction of the octet rule should be the top criterion for choosing the dominant Lewis structure of a molecule or ion. Other chemists believe that achieving the best formal charges should be the top criterion. Consider the dihydrogen phosphate ion, H2PO4-, in which the H atoms are bonded to O atoms. (b) What is the predicted dominant Lewis structure if achieving the best formal charges is the top criterion?

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Textbook Question

State whether each of these statements is true or false. (a) The longer the bond, the stronger the bond. (c) A typical double bond length is in the 500–1000 pm range.

Open Question
State whether each of these statements is true or false. (a) An oxygen–oxygen double bond is shorter than an oxygen–oxygen single bond. (b) The C—C bond in ethene is longer than the C—C bond in polyethene.
Open Question
We can define average bond enthalpies and bond lengths for ionic bonds, just like we have for covalent bonds. Which ionic bond is predicted to be stronger, Na—Cl or Ca—O?
Open Question
We can define average bond enthalpies and bond lengths for ionic bonds, just like we have for covalent bonds. Which ionic bond is predicted to have the smaller bond enthalpy, Li—F or Cs—F?