Item 8 Part A Why is a 2s atomic orbital on oxygen lower energy than a 2p atomic

Question

Item 8

Part A

Why is a 2s atomic orbital on oxygen lower energy than a 2p atomic orbital on oxygen?

The sign of is the same everywhere for a 2s orbital, while a 2p orbital has two mutually repulsive lobes of opposite sign.

Part B

Why is a bonding orbital formed by two oxygen 2px orbitals lower in energy than a bonding orbital formed by two oxygen 2pz orbitals?

Electrons in a 2s orbital are, on average, closer to the nucleus than electrons in a 2p orbital. The 2s orbital has fewer nodes than the 2p orbital.

The sign of is the same everywhere for a 2s orbital, while a 2p orbital has two mutually repulsive lobes of opposite sign.

Part B

Why is a bonding orbital formed by two oxygen 2px orbitals lower in energy than a bonding orbital formed by two oxygen 2pz orbitals?

The orbital has more angular nodes than the orbital. 2px orbitals are lower energy than 2pz orbitals, so form more stable bonds. The orbital overlap in a bond is greater than the orbital overlap in a bond.

Explanation / Answer

part-A

Electrons in a 2s orbital are, on average, closer to the nucleus than electrons in a 2p orbital.

PART-B

The orbital overlap in a bond is greater than the orbital overlap in a bond.

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