Question

What is the molecular orbital theory?

Answer 1

Every atom contains orbitals in their structures and they are called atomic orbitals. In the same manner all molecules contain orbitals after overlapping of the atoms and they are called molecular orbitals.

Complete answer:
- In the question it is asked what molecular orbital theory is.
- The theory which explains the overlapping of the atomic orbitals to form molecular orbitals is called molecular orbital theory (MOT).
- There are few postulates under Molecular orbital theory and they are as follows.
- Molecular orbitals are going to be obtained by combining the atomic orbitals of the atoms.
- Whenever orbitals of the atoms are going to combine then they form two types of molecular orbitals.
- The two types of molecular orbitals are called bonding molecular orbital and antibonding molecular orbital.
- The bonding orbitals will have less energy when compared to anti-bonding molecular orbital.
- Whenever electrons are going to enter they first enter into the bonding molecular orbitals when compared to anti-bonding molecular orbital due to the less energy of the bonding molecular orbital.
- Bonding orbitals are going to be represented with symbols like $\sigma$ and $\pi$.
- But the antibonding molecular orbitals are going to represent with symbols like ${{\sigma }^{*}}$ , and ${{\pi }^{*}}$.

Note:
Without the involvement of the molecular orbitals molecules are not going to form. All the molecules have their own molecular orbitals and these orbitals are going to be formed by the atomic orbitals of the atoms involved in the formation of the molecules.