Use the MO energy diagram in Figure 8.22b to describe thebonding in O2+, O2, and O2-. Which of the three is likely tobe stable? What is the bond order of each? Which containunpaired electrons?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the molecular orbital (MO) energy diagram for O2, O2+, and O2-. This diagram will show the energy levels and the filling of the molecular orbitals with electrons for each molecule.
2. Determine the electron configuration for each species (O2+, O2, O2-) by filling the molecular orbitals according to the Aufbau principle, Hund's rule, and the Pauli exclusion principle. Start filling from the lowest energy orbital up to the highest that the molecule's electron count allows.
3. Calculate the bond order for each species using the formula: Bond Order = (Number of electrons in bonding orbitals - Number of electrons in antibonding orbitals) / 2. This will help determine the stability and the strength of the bond in each molecule.
4. Analyze the electron configurations to identify which species have unpaired electrons. Species with unpaired electrons are paramagnetic, while those with all paired electrons are diamagnetic.
5. Compare the bond orders and the presence of unpaired electrons to assess the relative stability of O2+, O2, and O2-. Generally, a higher bond order indicates a more stable molecule, and the presence of unpaired electrons can affect the molecule's reactivity and magnetic properties.

Key Concepts

Molecular Orbital Theory

Molecular Orbital (MO) Theory describes how atomic orbitals combine to form molecular orbitals, which can be occupied by electrons. In this theory, electrons are delocalized over the entire molecule, and the energy levels of these orbitals determine the stability and bonding characteristics of the molecule. Understanding the arrangement of electrons in these orbitals is crucial for predicting bond order and magnetic properties.

Bond Order

Bond order is a measure of the number of chemical bonds between a pair of atoms, calculated as the difference between the number of bonding and antibonding electrons divided by two. A higher bond order indicates a stronger bond and greater stability of the molecule. For example, in diatomic oxygen (O2), the bond order is 2, indicating a double bond, while in O2+ and O2-, the bond orders will differ due to the addition or removal of electrons.

Unpaired Electrons and Stability

Unpaired electrons are electrons that occupy an orbital alone rather than in pairs, contributing to the magnetic properties of a molecule. Molecules with unpaired electrons are often paramagnetic and can be less stable than those with all electrons paired. In the context of O2, O2+, and O2-, identifying the presence of unpaired electrons helps determine their stability and reactivity, with O2 being the most stable due to its paired electron configuration.