1. There is a correlation of bond strengths with bond distances. A comparison of Tables 1.5 and 1.7 shows that, in general, shorter bonds are stronger bonds. Since we have already seen that increasing s character shortens bonds (p. 24), it follows that bond strengths increase with increasing s character. Calculations show that ring strain has a significant effect on bond dissociation energy, particularly the CH bond of hydrocarbons, because it forces the compound to adopt an undesirable hybridization.111