In the molecular orbital description of CO,
A)six molecular orbitals contain electrons.
B)there are two unpaired electrons.
C)the bond order is 3.
D)the highest-energy electrons occupy antibonding orbitals.
E)All of the above are false.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The bond order in CO is 3, which is calculated by subtracting the number of electrons in antibonding orbitals from the number of electrons in bonding orbitals and then dividing by 2. This high bond order corresponds to a triple bond, which is consistent with the strong, triple-bonded nature of the CO molecule.

In the Molecular Orbital Description of CO