if the energy to break bonds is greater than the energy to form the bonds, is it exothermic?
No. If it takes more energy to break a bond than form a bond, the energy must come from somewhere and that somewhere is the surroundings so it must be endothermic.
Thank You! Great Explanation!
Yes, if the energy required to break the bonds is greater than the energy released when the new bonds are formed, then the overall reaction is exothermic. This is because in an exothermic reaction, energy is released to the surroundings in the form of heat.
To determine if a reaction is exothermic or endothermic based on bond energies, you need to compare the energy required to break the bonds with the energy released when new bonds are formed. Here are the steps to determine the answer:
1. Identify the chemical equation for the reaction.
2. Determine the types of bonds present and the bond energies associated with these bonds. Bond energies can be found in reference tables or databases.
3. Calculate the total energy required to break the bonds by summing up the bond energies for all the bonds being broken.
4. Calculate the total energy released when new bonds are formed by summing up the bond energies for all the bonds being formed.
5. Compare the energy required to break the bonds with the energy released from bond formation.
- If the energy required to break the bonds is greater than the energy released, then the reaction is exothermic.
- If the energy required to break the bonds is less than the energy released, then the reaction is endothermic.
It's important to note that bond energies are approximate and can vary depending on the specific compounds involved in the reaction.