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I understand that covalent bonds break at a dissociation energy $D_0$ that is a function of the particular bond. And it looks like an upper bound on $D_0$ is known for possible covalent bonds.

It's unclear to me whether continuing to add energy to a mass will at some point guarantee that all covalent bonds are broken, or whether there are other physical processes that could continue to absorb energy so as to prevent total homolysis.

Is there some temperature above which the bonds cannot be maintained in any substantial way? I.e., for any soup of atoms is there a temperature sufficiently high that no molecular compounds can exist?

How hot does thermal plasma need to be to eliminate virtually all chemical bonding?

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  • $\begingroup$ Maybe this idea is not meant to generalize over entirety of bonds. Because bonds form in so radically different environments. $\endgroup$
    – Proscionexium
    Commented May 22, 2023 at 19:22
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    $\begingroup$ @Proscionexium if necessary, yes. I'm assuming that covalent bonds are both the strongest and the most meaningful for chemical properties, but if there are other inter-atomic bonds that can survive energy sufficient to totally homolyze a mass, and that affect the chemo-physical behavior of a mass of atoms, that would be a helpful answer (though perhaps to a related question I should pose?). $\endgroup$
    – feetwet
    Commented May 22, 2023 at 19:24
  • $\begingroup$ How is this any different from your old question? chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/34964/… besides being more focused... $\endgroup$
    – Mithoron
    Commented May 22, 2023 at 20:00
  • $\begingroup$ @Mithoron that one is about what happens if all bonds are broken and then the mass is cooled. This one is whether heating actually will break all bonds (and if so, at what point). $\endgroup$
    – feetwet
    Commented May 22, 2023 at 20:04
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    $\begingroup$ It's a duplicate of chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/99110/… though... $\endgroup$
    – Mithoron
    Commented May 23, 2023 at 13:58

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