Question

Compare the bond order between H2‐ and He2+​

Answer 1

1/2 (They are identical)

Step-by-step explanation:

Molecular ion Molecular orbital configuration

He2+ =
`б1s^(2) -б1s^(1)`

He2- =
`б1s^(2) -б1s^(1)`

Since both He₂+ and H2 have equal number of bonding (N) and antibonding (Na) electrons because of identical molecular orbital configuration, their bond order is given

= 1/2 [Nᵇ - Nᵃ]

=1/2 [2-1]

= 1/2 (They are identical)

Answer 2

The bond between H2- and He2+ is not directly comparable as they are different types of chemical species.

H2- is a negatively charged diatomic molecule consisting of two hydrogen atoms, while He2+ is a positively charged diatomic ion consisting of two helium atoms.

The bond in H2- is a covalent bond where the two hydrogen atoms share a pair of electrons to form a stable molecule. The bond in He2+ is an ionic bond, where the two helium atoms are held together by the attraction between the positively charged helium ions and the negatively charged electrons.

In terms of bond strength, the H2- bond is relatively weak, while the He2+ bond is extremely strong. However, the nature and properties of the bonds are fundamentally different due to the different chemical species involved