The Student Room Group

Difference between enthalpy of atomisation (compound) and bond dissociation enthalpy

What's the difference between the two?
in a-levelchemistry.co.uk notes they look the same, for example:

CH4(g) -> C(g) + 4H (g)
Reply 1
Original post by havana-affair
What's the difference between the two?
in a-levelchemistry.co.uk notes they look the same, for example:

CH4(g) -> C(g) + 4H (g)


The enthalpy of atomisation of a compound is the energy needed to split up a mole of compound into its atom parts. (so all of the bonds in the compound are broken)

The enthalpy of bond dissociation is the energy needed to break a single bond (such as C-H in a methane molecule) .

So in methane there are 4 C-H bonds and so the bond dissociation enthalpy of a C-H bond would be around 0.25 times the atomisation enthalpy of methane.

Units of both are usually given as kJ/mol.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 2
Original post by lkjhg5
The enthalpy of atomisation of a compound is the energy needed to split up a mole of compound into its atom parts. (so all of the bonds in the compound are broken)

The enthalpy of bond dissociation is the energy needed to break a single bond (such as C-H in a methane molecule) .

So in methane there are 4 C-H bonds and so the bond dissociation enthalpy of a C-H bond would be around 0.25 times the atomisation enthalpy of methane.

Units of both are usually given as kJ/mol.


But when you are calculating bond enthalpy of a reaction (when you do sum of bonds broken minus sum of bonds formed) they are the same correct?
Reply 3
Yes, you can use either of those enthalpies to that calculation.

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