Applications of Bond Energies are listed below:-

1. Determination of enthalpy of reaction

The bond energies can be used for determining enthalpies of

reactions   for example, we want to determine
the enthalpy of the following reaction:

In this reaction a triple bond   breaks in acetylene and two H — H bonds break in
4H. In turn, one C C- bond and four C — H bonds are formed in . Therefore

2. Determination of enthalpies of formation of compounds

The bond energies can be used for determining enthalpies of formation of compounds.
For example, we want to determine the enthalpy of formation of ethyl alcohol:

Determination of enthalpies of formation of compounds

The formation of ethyl alcohol involves:

(i) Breaking of 3H-H bonds to give 6H, breaking bf 1/2O-O bond to give O and
sublimation of 2 atoms of C(s) to give 2C(g).

(ii) Formation of one C-C bond, five bonds, one C-0 bond and one bond.

Therefore,
 

3. Determination of resonance energy

Resonance energy is taken to be equal to the difference between the actual bond energy
of the molecule and that of the most stable of the resonating structures. Let us
determine the resonance energy of benzene.

The dissociation of benzene may be given as:

According to Kekule's structure there are three C-C bonds, three C = C bonds and six C-
H bonds in benzene. Therefore dissociation energy of benzene may be given as:

Thus, dissociation energy of benzene is  . But experimental value is

known to be  . Evidently, the resonance energy of benzene
is  .