NEETChemistryChemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): The bond length of N₂^+ is less than that of N₂ , while the bond length of O₂^+ is greater than that of O₂ . Reason (R): During the formation of N₂^+ , an electron is removed from a bonding molecular orbital, while in O₂^+ , an electron is removed from an antibonding molecular orbital. In the light
Options
- ABoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A)
- BBoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A)
- CAssertion (A) is true but Reason (R) is false
- DAssertion (A) is false but Reason (R) is true
Correct answer
D. Assertion (A) is false but Reason (R) is true
Step-by-step solution
The electronic configuration of N₂ has its highest energy electrons in the bonding 2p_z orbital. When N₂^+ is formed, an electron is removed from this bonding molecular orbital. This decreases the bond order from 3 to 2.5. Since bond length is inversely proportional to bond order, the bond length of N₂^+ is greater than that of N₂ . The electronic configuration of O₂ has its highest energy electrons in the antibonding ^ * 2p orbitals. When O₂^+ is formed, an electron is removed from an antibonding molecular orbital