What is the term for the energy required to break bonds in a chemical reaction?

The correct term for the energy required to break bonds in a chemical reaction is bond energy. Bond energy specifically refers to the amount of energy needed to disassemble a molecule into its individual atoms, overcoming the attractive forces holding the atoms together. This energy is critical in understanding chemical reactions because it helps to determine whether a reaction is endothermic (absorbing energy) or exothermic (releasing energy).

Activation energy, while related, refers to the minimum energy that must be provided for a reaction to take place. It is the energy barrier that must be overcome for reactants to be transformed into products, but it does not specifically denote the energy required to break bonds.

Potential energy refers to the energy stored in an object due to its position or arrangement, while kinetic energy is the energy of motion. Neither of these terms specifically pertains to the energy needed to break chemical bonds, making them less relevant to the question at hand.