Which of the following compounds most likely has the least bond energy?

a. Cl2; Cl-Cl bond length = 199 pm c. HF; H-F bond length = 92 pm

b. HCl; H-Cl bond length = 127 pm d. I2; I-I bond length = 266 pm

I2; I-I bond length = 266 pm

Explanation:

Bond length is inversely related to bond strength. The longer the bond length, the weaker the bond. The shorter the bond length the stronger the bond. A large bond distance implies that there is poor interaction between the atoms involved in the bond. A long bond distance or bond length may even indicate the absence of covalent interaction between the atoms involved.