What is the bond order of N2, N2+, and N2–?

To determine the bond order of nitrogen molecules (N₂, N₂⁺, and N₂^–), we need to look into their molecular orbital configurations.

N₂ has a total of 10 electrons. Its molecular orbital configuration is:

• σ_1s² σ_1s^*2 σ_2s² σ_2s^*2 σ_2p² π_2p² π_2p²

The bond order can be calculated using the formula:

Bond Order = (Number of bonding electrons – Number of antibonding electrons) / 2

For N₂: Bond order = (8 – 2) / 2 = 3.

N₂⁺ has one less electron, giving it 9 total electrons:

• σ_1s² σ_1s^*2 σ_2s² σ_2s^*2 σ_2p² π_2p² π_2p¹

For N₂⁺: Bond order = (7 – 2) / 2 = 2.5.

N₂^– has one additional electron, bringing its total to 11 electrons:

• σ_1s² σ_1s^*2 σ_2s² σ_2s^*2 σ_2p² π_2p² π_2p³

For N₂^–: Bond order = (8 – 3) / 2 = 2.5.

To summarize:

• Bond Order of N₂: 3
• Bond Order of N₂⁺: 2.5
• Bond Order of N₂^–: 2.5

This shows how the addition or removal of electrons affects the stability and strength of the bond in nitrogen molecules.