Which of the following statements is true about the molecular orbital theory?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
Which of the following statements is true about the molecular orbital theory?
It only applies to diatomic molecules
It explains the magnetic properties of molecules
It does not consider electron spin
It is less accurate than valence bond theory
Molecular orbital theory explains the magnetic properties of molecules, particularly the presence of unpaired electrons.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: Which of the following statements is true about the molecular orbital theory?
Solution: Molecular orbital theory explains the magnetic properties of molecules, particularly the presence of unpaired electrons.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand what molecular orbital theory is. It is a way to describe how atoms combine to form molecules by considering the behavior of electrons in molecular orbitals.
Step 2: Learn about molecular orbitals. These are regions in a molecule where electrons are likely to be found, and they can be bonding or antibonding.
Step 3: Know that electrons in molecular orbitals can be paired or unpaired. Paired electrons have opposite spins, while unpaired electrons do not.
Step 4: Recognize that the presence of unpaired electrons in a molecule can lead to magnetic properties, such as paramagnetism, where the molecule is attracted to a magnetic field.
Step 5: Conclude that molecular orbital theory helps explain why some molecules are magnetic due to the presence of unpaired electrons.
