∆H broken equals which species?

∆H broken equals which species?

• A. The products
• B. The catalysts
• C. The solvents
• D. The reactants

Answer: (D)

Bond-breaking enthalpy is the energy you must supply to cleave bonds in the reactant molecules before the reaction can proceed. This energy specifically belongs to the reactants because those are the species whose bonds are being broken in the initial step. Once bonds form in the products, energy is released, which influences the overall enthalpy change, but the measured ∆H for breaking bonds refers to the reactant-side bonds. Catalysts aren’t consumed and don’t set this energy, and solvents mainly affect the environment rather than the intrinsic bond strengths. So the enthalpy change associated with breaking bonds points to the reactants.

Bond-breaking enthalpy is the energy you must supply to cleave bonds in the reactant molecules before the reaction can proceed. This energy specifically belongs to the reactants because those are the species whose bonds are being broken in the initial step. Once bonds form in the products, energy is released, which influences the overall enthalpy change, but the measured ∆H for breaking bonds refers to the reactant-side bonds. Catalysts aren’t consumed and don’t set this energy, and solvents mainly affect the environment rather than the intrinsic bond strengths. So the enthalpy change associated with breaking bonds points to the reactants.