12. Molecular Shapes & Valence Bond Theory
MO Theory: Bond Order
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Determine the bond order of the n o minus ion. So here, remember, we're gonna set up our molecular orbital diagram, and it'll be based on the less electronegative element. Nitrogen is less electronegative than oxygen, so we're gonna use the molecular orbital diagram for nitrogen. To set that up, we're gonna have here sigma 2 s, sigma star 2 s, then we're gonna have pi 2p, and then we're gonna have here sigma 2p, then we're gonna have here pi star 2p, and then finally we're gonna have up here sigma star 2p. Now if we take a look here, nitrogen is in group 5a, so it has 5 valence electrons. Oxygen is in group 6a, so it has 6 valence electrons. And then minus 1 means we've gained an additional electron. So that's gonna be another electron on top. So this comes out to 12 valence electrons. So we start filling this in. So it'd be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. So we fill this in, and remember that the bond order formula so bond order we're gonna abbreviate to b o equals half of your bonding electrons, minus your anti bonding electrons. So here, we'd say half of so your bonding electrons are 2, 4, 6, 8. So we have 8 minus your anti bonding ones are the ones with the stars, so that's going to be 24 anti bonding. So that's 8 minus 4, which is 4. 4 times a half is equal to 2. So the bond order here for this particular molecule would be 2.
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