Can anyone please explain question 16 of this paper? why isnt the answer D? since its the enthalpy change of formation the bond energy of the reactants should matter most not of the products.
http://www.xtremepapers.com/papers/CIE/Cambridge International A and AS Level/Chemistry (9701)/9701_s07_qp_1.pdf
inorder to form a H-I bond lesser energy is required since the bond energy is low and so the enthalpy of formation is high, and the H-Cl bond requires a higher value of energy since it has a greater bond energy value so the enthalpy of formation is low. so it basically depends on the bond energy values, which will show the overall energy of formation, which is more or less indirectly proportional to the bond energy values. does it sound confusing?
look at it this way....if you find out the enthalpy change of formation it is reactants - products. If the product lets suppose is H-I so the product has low energy. so the reactants-products gives a positive value. If the product is H-Cl it has a high energy so reactants-products gives you a low value. like in the question, so we know that it is defined using bod energies.