When the 1s orbitals of two hydrogen atoms combine to form a hydrogen molecule,which molecular orbitals are formed?
A)One bonding molecular orbital only.
B)Two bonding molecular orbitals.
C)One bonding molecular orbital and one antibonding molecular orbital.
D)Two antibonding molecular orbitals.
E)Three bonding molecular orbitals.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the 1s orbitals of two hydrogen atoms combine, they form two new molecular orbitals: one bonding molecular orbital and one antibonding molecular orbital. The bonding molecular orbital has lower energy and greater electron density between the two nuclei, while the antibonding molecular orbital has higher energy and less electron density between the two nuclei. The electrons fill the lower energy bonding orbital first before populating the higher energy antibonding orbital. The resulting molecule is stable because the bonding orbital stabilizes the electrons between the two nuclei, while the antibonding orbital destabilizes the electrons and reduces the bond strength. Therefore, the correct choice is C.

When the 1s Orbitals of Two Hydrogen Atoms Combine to Form