Final answer:
Breaking bonds requires energy (endothermic) and making bonds releases energy (exothermic), so the correct answer is (a) Absorbs, releases.
Step-by-step explanation:
Breaking chemical bonds requires energy, which makes it an endothermic process. Conversely, when chemical bonds are formed, energy is released, characterizing it as an exothermic process. Key concepts to understand here include
- Bond Dissociation Energy: The amount of energy required to break the bond between two atoms.
- Exothermic reactions: Chemical reactions that release energy, often seen as heat or light.
- Endothermic reactions: Reactions that absorb energy from their surroundings.
The correct statement that describes this process is: Breaking bonds absorbs energy, making bonds releases energy. Hence, the answer is (a) Absorbs, releases.