Which bond type is described as stronger and shorter than another type of bond?

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $4.99 payment

Prepare for the UCF CHM2045C Chemistry Exam 3. Test your knowledge with multiple choice questions, each one providing hints and explanations. Get ready to ace your exam!

In the context of bond strength and length, triple bonds are indeed described as stronger and shorter than single and double bonds. The strength of a bond generally refers to the amount of energy required to break it; the more electron pairs shared between atoms, the stronger the bond tends to be.

Triple bonds consist of three shared pairs of electrons between two atoms, which results in a very strong attraction as the nuclei of both atoms are drawn closer together. The increased number of shared electrons not only strengthens the bond but also leads to a shorter bond length compared to single and double bonds, which share fewer electrons.

In contrast, single bonds involve one shared pair of electrons, making them the weakest and longest of the common covalent bonds. Double bonds, sharing two pairs of electrons, are stronger and shorter than single bonds but still not as strong or short as triple bonds. Ionic bonds, while generally strong in terms of the electrostatic attraction between charged ions, are not classified in the same manner regarding bond length in covalent terms as they do not involve sharing of electrons.

Thus, the characterization of triple bonds as being stronger and shorter aligns with fundamental principles of molecular bonding and hybridization.