Atomic size has a significant effect on bond energy.

In general, as the atomic size increases, the bond

energy between two atoms decreases.

The bond energy is the energy required to break a chemical bond between two atoms in a molecule. It is
a measure of the strength of the bond. The bond energy is influenced by several factors, one of which is
the distance between the nuclei of the bonded atoms.

When the atomic size increases, the distance between the nuclei of the atoms in a bond also increases.
As a result, the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged nuclei and the negatively charged
electrons in the bond decreases. This decrease in electrostatic attraction leads to a weaker bond, and
consequently, a lower bond energy.

For example:

In the halogens (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine), as you move down the group, the atomic size
increases. As a result, the bond energy of the diatomic molecules (F2, Cl2, Br2, I2) decreases down the
group. Fluorine (F2) has the highest bond energy, while iodine (I2) has the lowest bond energy among
these elements.

In covalent compounds, like hydrogen halides (HF, HCl, HBr, HI), the bond energy decreases as you move
down the group of halogens. For example, the H-F bond in hydrogen fluoride (HF) is stronger (higher
bond energy) than the H-I bond in hydrogen iodide (HI) due to the larger atomic size of iodine.

It's important to note that atomic size is just one of the factors influencing bond energy. Other factors
such as electronegativity, hybridization, and the presence of multiple bonds also play a role in
determining bond energy. Nevertheless, the general trend is that as atomic size increases, the bond
energy decreases, and vice versa.