Bond order

Definition

Bond order is the number of chemical bonds between a pair of atoms. It indicates the stability and strength of a bond.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Bond order can be calculated using Molecular Orbital Theory as $\frac{1}{2}(\text{number of bonding electrons} - \text{number of antibonding electrons})$.
2. A higher bond order implies a more stable and stronger bond.
3. In diatomic molecules, bond order corresponds to the number of shared electron pairs between two atoms.
4. Bond order can be fractional in molecular orbital theory, unlike in Lewis structures.
5. A bond order of zero indicates that no bond exists between the atoms.

Review Questions

• How do you calculate bond order using Molecular Orbital Theory?
• What does a higher bond order signify about a molecule's stability?
• Can bond order be fractional? If so, give an example.

Related terms

Molecular Orbital: A region where an electron in a molecule is likely to be found; formed by the combination of atomic orbitals.

Antibonding Orbital: A molecular orbital that weakens the bond between two atoms and has higher energy than bonding orbitals.

Bonding Orbital: $An orbital lower in energy than the atomic orbitals from which it is formed, contributing to the stability of a molecule when occupied by electrons.$