Question

How do single, double and triple bonds compare?

Answer 1

Single, double and triple bonds compare on the basis of their strength, their lengths, number of electrons involved in their formation and path of formation of that bond.

Complete answer:
Single, double and triple bonds are compare on the following basis:
Single Bonds:
- Single bonds are also known by the name of sigma bonds and denoted as ($\sigma$).
- Single bonds are formed by the head to head overlapping of atomic orbitals.
- Strength of single sigma bonds are more than the strength of both double and triple bonds.
- Two electrons are involved in the formation of single bonds.
- Length of single bonds are more than double and triple bonds.
Double bonds:
- Double bonds are also known by the name of pie bonds and denoted as ($\pi$) also because in this one bond is sigma and another one is pie.
- In double bonds, pie bonds are formed by the side to side overlapping of atomic orbitals.
- Double bonds are stronger than single bonds.
- Four electrons are involved in the formation of double bonds.
- Length of double bonds are less than single bonds.
Triple bonds:
- Triple bonds are also known by the name of pie bonds and denoted as ($\pi$) also because in this one bond is sigma and the other two are pie.
- In triple bonds also pie bonds are formed by the side to side overlapping of atomic orbitals.
- Triple bonds are stronger than single and double bonds.
- Six electrons are involved in the formation of triple bonds.
- Length of triple bonds are less than double and single bonds.

Note: Here some of you may think that if the strength of a single bond is greater then why triple bonds are stronger and single bonds are not. So the reason is that energy required to break three bonds is more than the energy required to break a single bond, that’s why triple bonds are stronger than other two bonds instead of the fact that sigma bonds have high strength.