Question

What is the effect of the following processes on the bond order in $$\mathrm{N}{\phantom{A}}_2$$ and $$\mathrm{O}{\phantom{A}}_2$$?

(i) $$\mathrm{N}{\phantom{A}}_2⟶\mathrm{N}{\phantom{A}}_2^{+}+\mathrm{e}{\phantom{A}}^{-}$$

(ii) $$\mathrm{O}{\phantom{A}}_2⟶\mathrm{O}{\phantom{A}}_2^{+}+\mathrm{e}{\phantom{A}}^{-}$$

Answer 1

Species	Total electrons	Configuration	Bond order
$$\mathrm{N}{\phantom{A}}_2$$	14	${\displaystyle KK\sigma 2s^2{\sigma }^{\ast }2s^2\pi 2p_x^2=\pi 2p_y^2\sigma 2p_z^2}$	${\displaystyle \frac{8-2}{2}}$ = 3
$$\mathrm{N}{\phantom{A}}_2^{+}$$	13	${\displaystyle KK\sigma 2s^2{\sigma }^{\ast }2s^2\pi 2p_x^2=\pi 2p_y^2\sigma 2p_z^1}$	${\displaystyle \frac{7-2}{2}}$ = 2.5
Bond order decreases from 3 to 2.5
$$\mathrm{O}{\phantom{A}}_2$$	16	${\displaystyle KK\sigma 2s^2{\sigma }^{\ast }2s^2\sigma 2P_z^2\pi 2p_x^2=\pi 2p_y^2{\pi }^{\ast }2p_x^1={\pi }^{\ast }2p_y^1}$	${\displaystyle \frac{8-4}{2}}$ = 2.0
$$\mathrm{O}{\phantom{A}}_2^{+}$$	15	${\displaystyle KK\sigma 2s^2{\sigma }^{\ast }2s^2\sigma 2p_z^2\pi 2p_x^2=\pi 2p_y^2{\pi }^{\ast }2p_x^1}$	${\displaystyle \frac{8-3}{2}}$ = 2.5
Bond order decreases from 2 to 2.5