why does making bonds release energy and breaking bonds absorb energy?

Question

intuitively shouldn't making bonds absorb energy and breaking bonds release energy?

Answer 1

It ALWAYS takes energy to break a bond. Breaking a bond means pulling two things apart against a force. This always takes energy. Like stretching an elastic band.

Energy is ALWAYS released forming abond. Forming a bond moves two things closer together so their potential energy relative to infinite separation goes down, and is released. Like releasing an elastic band.

Whether a reaction is endothermic or exothermic depends on whether more or less energy was required to break the initial bonds than is released in forming the final ones.

Answer 2

because of the fact whilst 2 atoms connect in a bond, the outer electrons' orbitals (now a molecular orbital) is decrease in power than the sum of the flexibility of the outer electrons' of the atoms that type the bond. To be much greater precise, and as the electron isn't purely a particle yet in addition a wave, defined with tips from a probabilistic distribution equation, possible say: the flexibility represented with tips from the equation for the ensuing molecular orbital is under the between the sum of the two separate orbitals till now turning out to be to be a member of. think of, say, the H2O molecule: the outer unpaired electrons for :O (2p3 & 2p4) are added faraway from the O nucleus than they are interior the H2O molecule. comparable with the 1s1 of H.

Answer 3

Your question is doubtful. reactions can be Exothermic or Endothermic. Absorb or release of energy depends on that.

Answer 4

Its a wee bit complicated.. I think you should refer a chemistry text book for the answer, because you need pictures to explain why this happens. The reason is nice, though..

Answer 5

I think you have it backwards. *scratching noggin*