geekpeeps

geekpeeps t1_iy9gdbf wrote

And the two hydrogens (now a molecule) have more energy because of the intermolecular forces - as the hydrogens oscillate (kind of) their movement towards and away from one another is more energetic than the helium atom just on its own.

Edit: there is a quantum chemistry exercise in calculating the variations in energy between a hydrogen 2+ molecule (two protons sharing an electron) and 3D mapping the changes. It was much more difficult without the internet and digital graphing available nowdays.

6