(c) Would you expect the O—O bond in O₂ to be shorter or longer than the O—O bond in compounds that contain an O—O single bond? Explain.

Key Concepts

Bond Order

Bond order refers to the number of chemical bonds between a pair of atoms. In the case of O2, the bond order is 2, indicating a double bond, which typically results in a shorter bond length compared to a single bond. Higher bond orders generally lead to stronger and shorter bonds due to increased electron sharing.

Bond Length

Bond length is the average distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms. It is influenced by the type of bond (single, double, or triple) and the size of the atoms involved. In general, double bonds (like in O2) are shorter than single bonds due to the stronger attraction between the bonded atoms.

Resonance Structures

Resonance structures are different ways of drawing the same molecule that show the delocalization of electrons. In compounds with O—O single bonds, resonance can affect bond length and strength. However, in O2, the presence of a double bond means that resonance is not a factor, leading to a more stable and shorter bond compared to single-bonded oxygen compounds.