Final answer:
The question is about homolytic cleavage in a chemical reaction, specifically in the breaking of a covalent bond in a chlorine molecule to form two chlorine radicals. Homolytic cleavage involves the equal splitting of electrons between the two products, and it contrasts with heterolytic cleavage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of bond cleavage that the question refers to is homolytic cleavage. When a covalent bond breaks homolytically, the shared pair of electrons that constituted the bond is divided equally between the two products. In the reaction of a chlorine molecule (Cl₂) breaking into two chlorine atoms, each chlorine atom takes one of the shared electrons, which results in the formation of two chlorine radicals. Radicals are species with unpaired electrons. This is contrasted with heterolytic cleavage, where both electrons from the covalent bond go to one of the products, creating ions (one positively charged and one negatively charged).
In hemolytic bond making, the reverse process occurs, where two radicals each contribute one electron to form a covalent bond. This is observed in reactions where two chlorine radicals combine to form a chlorine molecule. Additionally, in the context of organic chemistry and reactions like SN2, the transition state features simultaneous bond-breaking and bond-making, representing a partial bond cleavage and formation but is not classified as solely homolytic or heterolytic.