Question

In the benzene molecule, carbon atoms form a ring with alternating single and double bonds in between each of them. Each carbon atom forms one σ bond with one carbon atom and one σ and one π bond with another. The π bonding electrons are delocalized over the entire molecule. Thus, benzene is a resonance hybrid of two equivalent structures, and the single and double bonds oscillate from one position to the other. Calculate the bond order for one carbon-carbon bond in the benzene molecule, taking σ and π bonding into consideration.

Answer 1