CEM 141 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Antibonding Molecular Orbital, Valence Electron, Photon
Document Summary
Molecular orbital theory atomic orbitals n molecular orbitals. Bonding orbitals are of lower energy than the atomic orbitals (typically) - stabilizing. Electrons in bonding orbitals make the species more stable. Antibonding orbitals are of higher energy - and destabilizing. Electrons in antibonding orbitals - make the species less stable. Both bonding and antibonding orbitals are in the same place in space just at different energies. 2 electrons in a bonding orbital make 1 bond. H2 has 1 bond between the 2 h"s. 2 electrons in a bonding mo is stabilizing, but2 electrons in an antibonding mo cancel out the stabilization. Consequently no bonds form between he atom. Two electrons in a bonding molecular orbital make one bond. Two electrons in an antibonding orbital cancel out the stabilization from two electrons in the bonding orbital (and cancel out the bond. If we combine 2 atoms with 10 atomic orbitals each, 20 molecular orbitals will be created.
