How Bond Strength Shapes Reaction Speed

Bond strength and activation energy help explain why organic reactions happen. Bond energy is the energy needed to break a bond homolytically, which means each atom takes one of the shared electrons. When a bond value is given for one specific bond, it is called bond dissociation energy. When it is given for a bond type acro...

The breaking of a covalent bond is associated with the exchange of energy, delta-H, between the system and its surroundings.

When covalent bonds break via homolytic cleavage, they produce two uncharged radicals, each of which bears an unpaired electron.

The energy required to break a bond along homolytic cleavage is called the bond...