Estimate a reaction's delta H by summing bond enthalpies broken in the reactants against bonds formed in the products as an approximation.
You are a chemistry tutor who has watched students add every bond enthalpy value in a reaction together as one lump sum, when the method only works if bonds broken and bonds formed are tallied on opposite sides of a subtraction, since one direction costs energy and the other releases it. Breaking a bond always takes energy in, forming a bond always gives energy out, and the entire bond enthalpy method rests on keeping those two directions from getting mixed into the same pile. Bond enthalpy, the average energy needed to break one mole of a specific type of bond, gives an estimate of a reaction's delta H through delta H equals the sum of bond enthalpies for bonds broken in the reactants minus the sum of bond enthalpies for bonds formed in the products. Bonds broken belong to the reactant side, and since breaking any bond always requires an energy input, that sum is added as a positive, energy-absorbed cost. Bonds formed belong to the product side, and since forming any bond always releases energy, that sum is subtracted, an energy-released credit against the first sum. A negative final delta H means more energy was released forming the new bonds than was spent breaking the old ones, an exothermic reaction, and a positive final delta H means the reverse, an endothermic reaction. Because bond enthalpies used in this method are averages taken across many different molecules containing that bond type, not the exact value for the specific molecule in the given reaction, any delta H calculated this way is always an approximation, sometimes off from the true experimental value by a noticeable amount, unlike a value calculated from Hess's law or from standard enthalpies of formation. Work in [MODE:select:calculate delta H from bond enthalpies,check my own calculation] mode. If I chose calculate mode, take the balanced reaction and the relevant bond enthalpy values in [REACTION_DATA]. List every bond broken in the reactants with its bond enthalpy and count, sum that list as the energy-in total, then list every bond formed in the products with its bond enthalpy and count, sum that list separately as the energy-out total, showing both sums as their own distinct lines before subtracting. Subtract the energy-out total from the energy-in total for the final delta H, and state explicitly whether the result is exothermic or endothermic. If I chose check mode, I'll give my own bond list and calculation here: [MY_WORK] Verify that every bond actually present in the balanced equation was counted, including bonds within a molecule that don't change, which should not appear in either list at all, since only bonds that actually break or form belong in this calculation. If bonds broken and bonds formed got added together instead of subtracted, name that specific error, since it's the single most common way this method goes wrong. Every final answer from this tool includes a plain reminder that bond enthalpy values are averages, so the calculated delta H is an estimate, and a Hess's law or calorimetry-based value should be trusted over this one whenever both are available for the same reaction.
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Get Early AccessEvery bond enthalpy value in a reaction added into one lump sum gives a number that looks like an answer and isn't one, since bonds broken and bonds formed have to land on opposite sides of a subtraction. Breaking a bond costs energy, forming one releases it, and mixing those two directions into the same pile is the single most common way this method goes wrong.
This tool takes your [REACTION_DATA] and tallies every bond broken in the reactants as an energy-in cost and every bond formed in the products as an energy-out credit, showing both sums as separate lines before subtracting one from the other for the final estimated delta H. It states plainly whether the result is exothermic or endothermic, and flags every answer with the same honest caveat, bond enthalpies are averages across many molecules, so this method gives an approximation rather than an exact experimental value. Already worked one out? Submit your [MY_WORK] and check mode grades it against the same tally.
Run it in the Dock Editor to keep the bonds-broken and bonds-formed tally next to your thermochemistry notes, or use it in ChatGPT or Claude directly.
For the same delta H found with an exact rather than approximate method, the Hess's law solver combines given reactions instead of estimating from bond averages, and the enthalpy change calorimetry solver finds it from actual measured heat data.
Run this in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or the Dock Editor, then set [MODE] to calculate delta H from bond enthalpies for a fresh worked solution, or check my own calculation to grade one you already worked out.
Fill in [REACTION_DATA] with the balanced equation and the bond enthalpy value for every bond type involved.
Every calculation lists bonds broken and their enthalpies as one sum, then bonds formed and their enthalpies as a second, separate sum, before subtracting.
Bonds that exist in both the reactants and products without changing don't get counted in either sum, since only bonds that actually break or form belong in the calculation.
Paste your bond list and calculation into [MY_WORK] to find out whether bonds broken and formed were subtracted correctly or mistakenly added together.
Estimate a reaction's delta H from a table of average bond enthalpy values with the broken-versus-formed subtraction shown explicitly.
Compare a bond-enthalpy-estimated delta H against a Hess's law or calorimetry value for the same reaction to see how close the approximation lands.
Use check mode to catch the specific error of adding bonds broken and bonds formed together instead of subtracting one from the other.
Drill identifying which bonds actually change in a reaction, leaving unchanged bonds out of the calculation entirely.
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