Final answer:
Benzene has only one type of carbon-carbon bond throughout the molecule, characterized by equivalent bond lengths and electron delocalization, represented with a hexagonal structure with an inscribed circle indicating the pi electron cloud.
Step-by-step explanation:
The molecule of benzene (C6H6) is composed of only one type of carbon-carbon bond, despite the representation of alternating single and double bonds in traditional structural formulas. Using valence bond theory, it is understood that each carbon atom in benzene is sp² hybridized and forms three sigma bonds in a trigonal planar geometry, with one unhybridized p-orbital remaining perpendicular to the plane.
These p-orbitals overlap with those of adjacent carbon atoms to form pi bonds, resulting in a continuous ring of electron density above and below the plane of the molecule. This effect, known as electron delocalization, leads to the unique stability and equivalent bond lengths (139.9 pm) of all carbon-carbon bonds in benzene. The true nature of bonding in benzene is best represented by a hexagon with an inscribed circle or a continuous pi electron cloud, indicating fully delocalized electrons.