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The structures of ozone and molecular oxygen are shown - HSC - SSCE Chemistry - Question 20 - 2013 - Paper 1
Question 20
The structures of ozone and molecular oxygen are shown. Ozone: O / \ O O Oxygen: O = O Ozone is more easily decomposed than molecular oxygen because (A)... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The structures of ozone and molecular oxygen are shown - HSC - SSCE Chemistry - Question 20 - 2013 - Paper 1
Step 1
Ozone is more easily decomposed than molecular oxygen because
Answer
Ozone (O₃) is more easily decomposed than molecular oxygen (O₂) primarily because it has a lower average bond energy. The bond energy is a measure of the strength of the bonds in the molecule; lower energy means that the bonds can be broken more easily. In contrast, the O=O double bond in molecular oxygen is quite strong, making it less reactive and harder to decompose than the weaker bonds in ozone.