When the length of a chemical bond is short

A. an electron is held tighter and the bond is weaker.
B. an electron is held loosely and the bond is weaker.
C. an electron is held tighter and the bond is stronger.
D. an electron is held loosely and the bond is stronger.

C. an electron is held tighter and the bond is stronger

The correct answer is C. When the length of a chemical bond is short, it means that the atoms involved in the bond are closer to each other. This indicates that the electrons in the bond are being held tighter by the nuclei of the atoms.

To understand why a shorter bond length corresponds to stronger bond strength, we need to consider the forces acting on the electrons in a chemical bond. In a covalent bond, where atoms share electrons, the electrons experience attractive forces from the nuclei of both atoms involved in the bond. These attractive forces help to hold the atoms together.

When the bond length is shorter, the nuclei of the atoms are closer. This results in stronger attractive forces between the electrons and the nuclei. As a result, the electrons are more tightly held and require more energy to break the bond. Therefore, a shorter bond length corresponds to a stronger bond.