The enthalpy of a reaction depends on the strength of the bonds of the molecules involved in the reaction. A reaction with tightly bound reactants will require a higher input of energy to make the reaction proceed than one with loosely bound reactants. Likewise, the amount of energy required to form the bonds of the products affects the overall enthalpy. Specifically, the enthalpy of a reaction is given by
Note that bond energies are always positive quantities.
Example:
Using bond energies, calculate the enthalpy of the following reaction. The relevant bond energies are listed.
