In which of the following molecules does the molecular orbital configuration show unpaired electrons?

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Q: In which of the following molecules does the molecular orbital configuration show unpaired electrons?

Solution: O2 has two unpaired electrons in its π* orbitals, making it paramagnetic.

Steps: 8

Step 1: Understand what unpaired electrons are. Unpaired electrons are electrons that are alone in an orbital and not paired with another electron.
Step 2: Know that molecular orbitals are formed when atomic orbitals combine. Electrons fill these orbitals according to specific rules.
Step 3: Identify the molecule in question, which is O2 (oxygen gas).
Step 4: Write the electron configuration for O2. Oxygen has 8 electrons, so O2 has a total of 16 electrons.
Step 5: Fill the molecular orbitals for O2 according to the Aufbau principle, Hund's rule, and the Pauli exclusion principle.
Step 6: After filling the orbitals, check the π* (pi star) orbitals. In O2, there are 2 electrons in the π* orbitals.
Step 7: Determine if these electrons are paired or unpaired. In O2, the two electrons in the π* orbitals are unpaired.
Step 8: Conclude that O2 has unpaired electrons, which makes it paramagnetic (it is attracted to a magnetic field).