Question

When we looked at assigning the electrons in nitrogen to sites in the 2s and 2p orbitals, we used the 2s anti-bonding site. Which statement about this site is not true?

A) This anti-bonding electron site has the second lowest energy level of all the sites in the 2s and 2p orbitals.
B) Although this site is not desirable for making a bond between atoms, it is a good site in the sense that the electrons can be close to the nucleus.
C)This site can accommodate a maximum of two electrons (i.e., one electron pair).
D) The energy level for this site is very similar to the energy level for the s 2s orbital site.

Answer 1

B) Although this site is not desirable for making a bond between atoms, it is a good site in the sense that the electrons can be close to the nucleus.

Step-by-step explanation:

An antibonding orbital points away from the nuclei, with a node between them, so the electrons are not held close to the nuclei. The orbital is not desirable for bonding.

The diagram below shows a σ*1s molecular orbital, but a σ*2s orbital has a similar shape.

A) is true. The σ*1s orbital has the lowest energy.

C) is true. Any orbital can accommodate at most one electron pair.

D) is may be true. Orbital energy decreases as atomic number increases, so the orbital energy of an N₂ σ*2s molecule may be close to that of a sulfur atom's 2s orbital.