Practice question
Question
The bond order of C₂ molecule, considering its molecular orbital configuration, is:
Explanation
For C₂ : (sigma 1s)² (sigma^* 1s)² (sigma 2s)² (sigma^* 2s)² (pi 2px)² (pi 2py)² . Bonding = 8, antibonding = 4. Bond order = (8 - 4/2) = 2 .