Final answer:
The bond order of H₂ is 1, calculated by subtracting the number of antibonding electrons from the number of bonding electrons (2 - 0), then dividing by 2. A bond order of 1 corresponds to a single covalent bond between the two hydrogen atoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The bond order is a term in chemistry that refers to the number of chemical bonds between a pair of atoms. To calculate the bond order of H₂ (dihydrogen), we utilize molecular orbital theory. Given that the 0₁s (bonding) molecular orbital contains two electrons and the ot (antibonding) molecular orbital is empty, the calculation is straightforward. The bond order is calculated as one-half the net number of bonding electrons, which, in this case, is one-half the difference between the number of bonding and antibonding electrons:
Bond order of H₂ = ((bonding electrons) - 0 (antibonding electrons)) ÷ 2 = 2÷ 2 = 1.
This result corresponds to the single covalent bond observed between the two hydrogen atoms in a H₂ molecule, making the bond relatively strong and stable. The bond order of 1 reflects a single bond, which aligns with experimental data indicating that H₂ has a bond length appropriate for a single bond.