Question

Complete this valence molecular-orbital diagram for oxygen, O2. Click the blue boxes to add electrons as needed.

Answer 1

Concepts and reason

The concept used to solve this problem is based on molecular orbital diagram.

A molecular orbital diagram is used to explain chemical bonding in a molecule. This diagram is based on the molecular orbital theory.

Fundamentals

According to molecular orbital theory molecular orbitals of a molecule is formed by combination of its atomic orbitals and electrons present in molecule are distributed among the molecular orbitals.

The total number of electrons present in ${{\rm{O}}_2}$ molecule are 16. Thus, the electronic configuration for combination of two atomic orbitals of oxygen is as follows.

${\left( {{\sigma _{1s}}} \right)^2}{\left( {\sigma _{1s}^ * } \right)^2}{\left( {{\sigma _{2s}}} \right)^2}{\left( {\sigma _{2s}^ * } \right)^2}{\left( {{\sigma _{2{p_z}}}} \right)^2}{\left( {{\pi _{2{p_x}}}} \right)^2}{\left( {{\pi _{2{p_y}}}} \right)^2}{\left( {\pi _{2{p_x}}^ * } \right)^1}{\left( {\pi _{2{p_y}}^ * } \right)^1}$

Here sigma $\left( \sigma \right)$ and pi $\left( \pi \right)$ orbitals are called bonding molecular orbitals. The sigma star $\left( {{\sigma ^*}} \right)$ and pi star $\left( {{\pi ^*}} \right)$ are called antibonding orbitals.

In ${{\rm{O}}_2}$ orbital, the valence orbitals are 2s and 2p and total number of electrons in these orbitals are 12. Thus, Construct valence molecular orbital diagram and fill 12 electrons as follow.

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