The correct order of increasing C—O bond strength of CO, CO3^2-, CO2 is : — Chemical Bonding Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Step 1: Recall that bond strength is directly proportional to bond order. A higher bond order indicates a stronger, shorter chemical bond. Step 2: Determine the C—O bond order for each species: - CO (carbon monoxide) contains a triple bond (bond order = 3). - CO2 contains two carbon-oxygen double bonds (bond order = 2). - CO3^2- (carbonate ion) has its double bond resonance-delocalized over three C—O positions (bond order = 1 + 1/3 = 1.33). Step 3: Comparing these values, the C—O bond strength increases in the order of CO3^2- (1.33) < CO2 (2) < CO (3), which matches option (a).