Term: bond number https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.B00705 Definition: The number of electron-pair bonds between two nuclei in any given Lewis formula (electron dot or Lewis structure). For example, in ethene the bond number between the carbon atoms is two, and between the carbon and hydrogen atoms it is one. Related Terms: 1) bonds (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.B00697). 2) lewis formula (electron dot or lewis structure) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03513). Source: PAC, 1994, 66, 1077. 'Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)' on page 1090 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199466051077) Citation: 'bond number' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.B00705 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.