Find molecular orbital bond order using bonding and antibonding electron counts, with examples and clear limits on interpretation.
Method, examples and limits
Enter the numbers of electrons in bonding and antibonding molecular orbitals. The calculation is (bonding − antibonding)/2. Eight bonding and four antibonding electrons produce a bond order of 2.
Obtain both counts from a consistent molecular orbital diagram. The calculator does not determine an electron configuration from a molecule name and does not mix Lewis-structure resonance averages with molecular orbital counts.
A half-integer result can be meaningful. A zero or negative result indicates no net bonding in the supplied counting model, rather than a universal test of chemical stability. Magnetic properties require more information about individual orbital occupancies.
Worked learning guide
How to Calculate Bond Order from Bonding and Antibonding Electrons
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Frequently asked questions
Can bond order be fractional?
Yes. Molecular orbital counts can give half-integer bond orders.
Does bond order alone establish magnetism?
No. You also need orbital occupancy and electron-pairing information.