---
title: "A student analyzes output from a computational model of the potential energy of two \\(\\text{H}\\) atoms. The zero of potential energy corresponds to atoms separated by an effectively infinite distance. Point P represents a large separation, and point Q represents the equilibrium \\(\\text{H}-\\text{H}\\) bond distance.  As the atoms move from point P toward point Q, which statement best describes the potential energy of the two-atom system?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119379/"
date_modified: "2026-08-19T12:40:04+00:00"
---

# A student analyzes output from a computational model of the potential energy of two \(\text{H}\) atoms. The zero of potential energy corresponds to atoms separated by an effectively infinite distance. Point P represents a large separation, and point Q represents the equilibrium \(\text{H}-\text{H}\) bond distance.

As the atoms move from point P toward point Q, which statement best describes the potential energy of the two-atom system?

A student analyzes output from a computational model of the potential energy of two \(\text{H}\) atoms. The zero of potential energy corresponds to atoms separated by an effectively infinite distance. Point P represents a large separation, and point Q represents the equilibrium \(\text{H}-\text{H}\) bond distance.

As the atoms move from point P toward point Q, which statement best describes the potential energy of the two-atom system?

![Draw a grayscale Cartesian graph with no gridlines. The horizontal axis is labeled “Internuclear distance, r (pm)” and runs from 30 to 400, with ticks at 50, 74, 100, 200, 300, and 400. The vertical axis is labeled “Potential energy, U (kJ/mol)” and runs from -500 to +800, with ticks at -436, 0, 400, and 800. Plot one solid curve that begins near +750 at 30 pm, drops steeply, crosses the zero level near 52 pm, reaches a smooth minimum at 74 pm and -436 kJ/mol, then rises gradually while remaining below zero and approaching zero asymptotically by 400 pm. Place an open circular point labeled P on the curve at 300 pm and a filled circular point labeled Q at the minimum. Add a small directional arrow along the curve from the open point toward the filled point. No other curves, labels, text, or annotations appear.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1787143204-iTFOfP.jpg)

- **A.** The potential energy increases because nucleus-nucleus repulsion becomes stronger as the atoms move closer.
- **B.** The potential energy increases because forming the \(\text{H}-\text{H}\) bond requires the system to absorb energy.
- **C.** The potential energy decreases because both electron-electron and nucleus-nucleus repulsions become weaker as the atoms move closer.
- **D.** The potential energy decreases because electron-nucleus attractions lower the system's energy until the equilibrium bond distance is reached.

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119379/*