Draw a picture that shows all three 2p orbitals on one atom and all three 2p orbitals on another atom. (c) How many antibonding orbitals, and of what type can be made from the two sets of 2p orbitals?

Key Concepts

Atomic Orbitals

Atomic orbitals are regions in an atom where there is a high probability of finding electrons. The 2p orbitals are a set of three degenerate orbitals (2px, 2py, 2pz) that can hold a maximum of six electrons. Understanding the shape and orientation of these orbitals is crucial for visualizing how they interact during bonding.

Bonding and Antibonding Orbitals

When atomic orbitals combine, they can form bonding and antibonding molecular orbitals. Bonding orbitals result from the constructive interference of wave functions, leading to increased electron density between nuclei, while antibonding orbitals arise from destructive interference, resulting in a node between the nuclei. The type of bonding or antibonding orbital formed depends on the symmetry and orientation of the combining orbitals.

Molecular Orbital Theory

Molecular Orbital Theory describes how atomic orbitals combine to form molecular orbitals that can be occupied by electrons. In the case of two sets of 2p orbitals from different atoms, the combination can yield bonding and antibonding orbitals. Specifically, from the three 2p orbitals of each atom, a total of six molecular orbitals can be formed, including three bonding and three antibonding orbitals.