What is the total number of electrons present specifically in the antibonding molecular orbitals () — Chemical Bonding Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

An $O_2$ molecule contains 16 total electrons. The MOT filling order is $\sigma 1s^2, \sigma^* 1s^2, \sigma 2s^2, \sigma^* 2s^2, \sigma 2p_z^2, \pi 2p_x^2 = \pi 2p_y^2, \pi^* 2p_x^1 = \pi^* 2p_y^1$. The antibonding orbitals ($\sigma^* 1s$, $\sigma^* 2s$, $\pi^* 2p_x$, $\pi^* 2p_y$) contain $2 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 6$ electrons.