What is the difference between atomic orbital and molecular orbital?

The main difference between these two orbitals is that the atomic orbital contains electrons which are influenced by one positive nucleus , whereas in case of molecular orbitals, it contains electrons which are influenced by more than two nuclei depending upon the number of atoms in a molecule.

What are the similarities and differences between atomic and molecular orbitals?

Both atomic and molecular orbitals are regions having the highest electron densities in atoms and molecules, respectively. The properties of atomic orbitals are determined by the single nucleus of atoms, whereas those of molecular orbitals are determined by the combination of atomic orbitals that form the molecule.

Do atomic orbitals make molecular orbitals?

Bonding molecular orbitals are formed by in-phase combinations of atomic wavefunctions, and electrons in these orbitals stabilize a molecule. Antibonding molecular orbitals result from out-of-phase combinations and electrons in these orbitals make a molecule less stable.

Which molecular orbital is the most stable?

The head-to-head overlap giving σ molecular orbitals results in greater overlap, making its bonding molecular orbital the most stable and lowest energy, while the σ* antibonding is least stable and has the highest energy (Figure 9.24 “Molecular orbital energy diagram for homonuclear diatomic molecules made from atoms …

What does molecular orbital theory explain?

In chemistry, molecular orbital theory (MO theory or MOT) is a method for describing the electronic structure of molecules using quantum mechanics. Molecular orbital theory and valence bond theory are the foundational theories of quantum chemistry.

What is the difference between bonding and antibonding molecular orbitals?

Electrons in bonding orbitals stabilize the molecule because they are between the nuclei. They also have lower energies because they are closer to the nuclei. Antibonding orbitals place less electron density between the nuclei. Antibonding orbitals are at higher energy levels than bonding orbitals.

What is the difference between sigma and pi molecular orbitals?

In organic chemistry sigma bonds (σ) are always the first bond between two atoms, resulting from overlap along the bonding axis (of hybrid orbitals), while pi bonds (π) are second and third bonds resulting from the overlap of p orbitals, above and below (or in front and back of) the bonding axis.

Which molecular orbital is lowest in energy?

LUMO
Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital. The LUMO is the lowest energy orbital that has the scope to accept electrons and hence it acts as an electron acceptor and characterizes the susceptibility of the molecule toward attack by nucleophiles.

What is the molecular orbital theory explain?

In molecular orbital theory, electrons in a molecule are not assigned to individual chemical bonds between atoms, but are treated as moving under the influence of the atomic nuclei in the whole molecule.

What is the other name of molecular orbital theory?

In chemistry, molecular orbital theory (MO theory or MOT) is a method for describing the electronic structure of molecules using quantum mechanics.