In the molecular orbital theory, which of the following orbitals is the highest
Practice Questions
Q1
In the molecular orbital theory, which of the following orbitals is the highest energy in O2?
σ2p
π2p
σ*2p
π*2p
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
In the molecular orbital theory, which of the following orbitals is the highest energy in O2?
Step 1: Understand that O2 (oxygen molecule) has molecular orbitals formed from the atomic orbitals of the oxygen atoms.
Step 2: Know that molecular orbitals can be bonding or antibonding. Bonding orbitals help hold the atoms together, while antibonding orbitals can weaken the bond.
Step 3: Identify the molecular orbitals for O2. They are filled in order of increasing energy: σ2s, σ*2s, σ2p, π2p, π*2p, and σ*2p.
Step 4: Recognize that the highest energy orbital is the last one filled, which is σ*2p.
Step 5: Conclude that σ*2p is an antibonding orbital, meaning it has higher energy than the bonding orbitals.
