What is the molecular orbital configuration of O2?
Correct Answer: (σ1s)²(σ*1s)²(σ2s)²(σ*2s)²(σ2p)²(π2p)²(π*2p)¹
- Step 1: Understand that O2 is a molecule made of two oxygen atoms.
- Step 2: Know that molecular orbitals are formed from the combination of atomic orbitals.
- Step 3: Identify the atomic orbitals involved: 1s, 2s, and 2p from each oxygen atom.
- Step 4: Fill the molecular orbitals in order of increasing energy, starting with the lowest energy level.
- Step 5: Fill the 1s molecular orbitals first: (σ1s)² for bonding and (σ*1s)² for antibonding.
- Step 6: Next, fill the 2s molecular orbitals: (σ2s)² for bonding and (σ*2s)² for antibonding.
- Step 7: Move to the 2p molecular orbitals: fill (σ2p)² for bonding first.
- Step 8: Then fill the π2p orbitals: (π2p)² for bonding.
- Step 9: Finally, fill the antibonding π*2p orbital with one electron: (π*2p)¹.
- Step 10: Combine all the filled orbitals to get the final configuration: (σ1s)²(σ*1s)²(σ2s)²(σ*2s)²(σ2p)²(π2p)²(π*2p)¹.
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