According to molecular orbital theory, what is the bond order in the O₂⁺ion?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The bond order can be calculated by subtracting the number of antibonding electrons from the number of bonding electrons and dividing the result by 2. The molecular orbital diagram of the given ion shows that there are 16 bonding electrons and 10 antibonding electrons. Therefore, the bond order is (16-10)/2 = 3, which corresponds to a triple bond. However, there are also two lone pairs on the central S atom, which are not included in the bond order calculation. Taking these into account, the effective bond order becomes (3+2)/2 = 2.5. Therefore, the correct answer is D.

According to Molecular Orbital Theory, What Is the Bond Order