For how many of the following does the bond order decrease if you add one electron to the neutral molecule?
Be₂, C₂, N₂, O₂

Question

For how many of the following does the bond order decrease if you add one electron to the neutral molecule? Be₂, C₂, N₂, O₂ A) 2 B) 1 C) 3 D) 0 E) 4

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Adding one electron to a neutral molecule will decrease the bond order if the molecule has an odd number of electrons. Be2, C2, and N2 all have an even number of electrons, so their bond order will not decrease if one electron is added. O2 has an odd number of electrons, so its bond order will decrease if one electron is added.

For How Many of the Following Does the Bond Order