Explanation
Bond length is related to bond order, when more electrons participate in bond formation the bond will get shorter. Bond length is also inversely related to bond strength and the bond dissociation energy, as (all other things being equal) a stronger bond will be shorter. In a bond between two identical atoms half the bond distance is equal to the covalent radius.
Bond lengths are measured in the solid phase by means of X-ray diffraction, or approximated in the gas phase by microwave spectroscopy. A set of two atoms sharing a bond is unique going from one molecule to the next. For example the carbon to hydrogen bond in methane is different from that in methyl chloride. It is however possible to make generalizations when the general structure is the same.
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