0 votes
17 views
ago in Chemical bonding by (270 points)
What is the bond strength of the oxygen to hydrogen bond in water and how does it compare to the bond strength of the carbon to hydrogen bond in methane? What factors contribute to these differences in bond strength between these two molecules?

1 Answer

0 votes
ago by (590 points)
The bond strength of a chemical bond is typically measured in terms of bond dissociation energy, which is the energy required to break a bond and form separate atoms. In water  H2O , the bond strength of the oxygen-hydrogen  O-H  bond is approximately 467 kJ/mol. In methane  CH4 , the bond strength of the carbon-hydrogen  C-H  bond is approximately 414 kJ/mol. This means that the O-H bond in water is stronger than the C-H bond in methane.There are several factors that contribute to the differences in bond strength between these two molecules:1. Electronegativity: Oxygen is more electronegative than carbon, which means it attracts electrons more strongly. This results in a more polar O-H bond in water compared to the C-H bond in methane. The greater polarity of the O-H bond leads to stronger electrostatic attractions between the atoms, resulting in a stronger bond.2. Bond length: The O-H bond in water is shorter than the C-H bond in methane  approximately 0.96  for O-H vs. 1.09  for C-H . Shorter bonds are generally stronger because the atoms are closer together, leading to stronger electrostatic attractions between the positively charged nuclei and the negatively charged electrons.3. Molecular structure: Water is a bent molecule with a bond angle of approximately 104.5, while methane is a tetrahedral molecule with bond angles of approximately 109.5. The bent structure of water allows for the formation of hydrogen bonds between water molecules, which can indirectly influence the strength of the O-H bonds within individual water molecules. Methane, on the other hand, does not form hydrogen bonds due to its nonpolar nature.In summary, the bond strength of the O-H bond in water is greater than the C-H bond in methane due to differences in electronegativity, bond length, and molecular structure. These factors lead to stronger electrostatic attractions between the atoms in the O-H bond, resulting in a higher bond dissociation energy.
Welcome to Sarvan Science Q&A, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of the community.
...