Textbook Question
Determine the electron configurations for CN+, CN, and CN-. (a) Which species has the strongest C¬N bond?
Ch.9 - Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories
Brown14th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780134414232
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Table of contents
- Ch.1 - Introduction: Matter, Energy, and Measurement177
- Ch.2 - Atoms, Molecules, and Ions231
- Ch.3 - Chemical Reactions and Reaction Stoichiometry216
- Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution189
- Ch.5 - Thermochemistry175
- Ch.6 - Electronic Structure of Atoms168
- Ch.7 - Periodic Properties of the Elements150
- Ch.8 - Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding177
- Ch.9 - Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories200
- Ch.10 - Gases179
- Ch.11 - Liquids and Intermolecular Forces113
- Ch.12 - Solids and Modern Materials154
- Ch.13 - Properties of Solutions157
- Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics199
- Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium128
- Ch.16 - Acid-Base Equilibria164
- Ch.17 - Additional Aspects of Aqueous Equilibria163
- Ch.18 - Chemistry of the Environment105
- Ch.19 - Chemical Thermodynamics164
- Ch.20 - Electrochemistry171
- Ch.21 - Nuclear Chemistry122
- Ch.22 - Chemistry of the Nonmetals82
- Ch.23 - Transition Metals and Coordination Chemistry79
- Ch.24 - The Chemistry of Life: Organic and Biological Chemistry16
Brown14th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780134414232Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 9, Problem 80b
If we assume that the energy-level diagrams for homonuclear diatomic molecules shown in Figure 9.43 can be applied to heteronuclear diatomic molecules and ions, predict the bond order and magnetic behavior of (b) NO+.
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Identify the total number of valence electrons in the NO+ molecule. Nitrogen (N) has 5 valence electrons and Oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons. Since the molecule is NO+ (positively charged), it means it has lost one electron, reducing the total count by one.
Calculate the total number of electrons in NO+. Add the valence electrons of N and O, then subtract one electron for the positive charge: 5 (from N) + 6 (from O) - 1 (charge) = 10 electrons.
Distribute these 10 electrons among the molecular orbitals. According to molecular orbital theory for diatomic molecules, electrons fill from the lowest energy orbital upwards. For NO+, the order typically starts with sigma 1s, sigma star 1s, sigma 2s, sigma star 2s, pi 2p (filling two degenerate pi orbitals simultaneously), sigma 2p, pi star 2p, and sigma star 2p.
Determine the bond order using the formula: Bond Order = (number of electrons in bonding orbitals - number of electrons in antibonding orbitals) / 2. Count the electrons in bonding and antibonding orbitals from the distribution you did in the previous step.
Predict the magnetic behavior by checking if there are unpaired electrons in the molecular orbitals. If there are unpaired electrons, the molecule is paramagnetic; if all electrons are paired, the molecule is diamagnetic.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Bond Order
Bond order is a measure of the number of chemical bonds between a pair of atoms. It is calculated as the difference between the number of bonding and antibonding electrons divided by two. A higher bond order indicates a stronger bond and greater stability of the molecule. For diatomic molecules, bond order can help predict the bond strength and length.
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Average Bond Order
Molecular Orbital Theory
Molecular Orbital Theory describes the behavior of electrons in molecules using molecular orbitals, which are formed by the combination of atomic orbitals. Electrons occupy these orbitals according to the Aufbau principle, Pauli exclusion principle, and Hund's rule. This theory is essential for understanding the electronic structure of molecules, including their bond order and magnetic properties.
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Magnetic Behavior
Magnetic behavior in molecules is determined by the presence of unpaired electrons in molecular orbitals. Molecules with unpaired electrons exhibit paramagnetism, being attracted to magnetic fields, while those with all electrons paired are diamagnetic and are repelled by magnetic fields. Understanding the electron configuration and molecular orbitals helps predict whether a molecule will be magnetic.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Explain the following: (c) The O22 + ion has a stronger O—O bond than O2 itself.
Textbook Question
Using Figures 9.35 and 9.43 as guides, draw the molecular orbital electron configuration for (d) Ne22 +. In each case indicate whether the addition of an electron to the ion would increase or decrease the bond order of the species.
Textbook Question
How would we describe a substance that contains only paired electrons and is weakly repelled by a magnetic field? Which of the following ions would you expect to possess similar characteristics: H2-, Ne2+, F2, O22 +?
Textbook Question
Determine the electron configurations for CN+, CN, and CN-. (b) Which species, if any, has unpaired electrons?
Textbook Question
If we assume that the energy-level diagrams for homonuclear diatomic molecules shown in Figure 9.43 can be applied to heteronuclear diatomic molecules and ions, predict the bond order and magnetic behavior of (d) ClF.