About Henry A. Bent
Lived 1926 – 2015 (aged 88). Henry A. Bent was an American chemist and university teacher.
Henry A. Bent (December 21, 1926 – January 3, 2015) was a professor of physical chemistry who studied molecular orbitals to develop atomic hybridization and valence bond theories. Bent's rule, which predicts the orbital hybridization of a central atom as a function of the electronegativities of the substituents attached to it, is named for him.
In thermodynamics he developed a global approach now known as "entropy analysis" for the entropy component of thermodynamic free energy in relation to the second law of thermodynamics and the spontaneity of various chemical processes.
Bent was also interested in the periodic laws of the elements and promoted the left-step periodic table based on orbital-filling rules.
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Henry A. Bent?
American physical chemist (1926–2015)
When was Henry A. Bent born?
Henry A. Bent was born on 21 December 1926 in Cambridge.
When did Henry A. Bent die?
Henry A. Bent died on 1 March 2015 in Pittsburgh.
What was Henry A. Bent's occupation?
Henry A. Bent was a chemist and university teacher.
What nationality was Henry A. Bent?
Henry A. Bent was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Henry A. Bent. https://biography.guide/henry-a-bent/
MLA: "Henry A. Bent." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/henry-a-bent/.
Chicago: "Henry A. Bent." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/henry-a-bent/.
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