Why are some molecules diatomic?

1 Answer
anor277
Jun 1, 2018

To a first approximation all elements are diatomic....

Explanation:

How so? Well, because hydrogen is by far the most abundant element in the universe as far as we know...and commonly hydrogen appears as the #H_2# molecule...

And this occurrence owes to thermodynamic stability...the formation of hydrogen-hydrogen bonds is exothermic...

#dotH + dotH rarr H-H+Delta#

All elemental gases (well the ones with any chemistry) are also diatomic...#H_2, Li_2, C_2, N_2, O_2, X_2#...the elements are thermodynamically MORE stable as the diatom...

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