In chemistry, bond strength is the degree to which each atom joined to another in a chemical bond contributes to the valency of this other atom. Bond strength is intimately linked to bond order and can be quantified by:
- bond energy: requires lengthy calculations, even for the simplest bonds.
- bond-dissociation energy
Another criterion of bond strength is the qualitative relation between bond energies and the overlap of atomic orbitals of the bonds (Pauling and Mulliken). The more these overlap, the more the bonding electrons are to be found between the nuclei and hence stronger will be the bond. Overlap is necessary for the formation of molecular orbitals. This overlap can be calculated and is called the overlap integral.
Famous quotes containing the words bond and/or strength:
“The bond between a man and his profession is similar to that which ties him to his country; it is just as complex, often ambivalent, and in general it is understood completely only when it is broken: by exile or emigration in the case of one’s country, by retirement in the case of a trade or profession.”
—Primo Levi (1919–1987)
“For my people lending their strength to the years: to the gone
years and the now years and the maybe years, washing ironing cooking scrubbing sewing mending hoeing plowing digging planting pruning patching dragging along never gaining never reaping never knowing and never understanding;”
—Margaret Abigail Walker (b. 1915)