Partial Bond

[WYacob_2C]

Can someone further explain the idea of having a "partial bond" character? It was discussed in lecture when we were going over the nitrate ion.

[jisulee1C]

Partial bonds are when the structure can resonate or flip between two or more conformations. The nitrate ion has partial bonds because the double bonded oxygen can be at multiple locations (3 positions) therefore the actual structure would be a blend between the 3 structures.

[AnnikaMittelhauser4E]

To add on, partial bonds have bond lengths that are also a blend b/w the two structures. So, since the nitrate bonds can be thought of as a blend between double and single bonds, the length is between that of a double (shorter) and single bond (longer) involving nitrogen and oxygen in a non-resonance molecule. In the case of nitrate, the actual bond length is closer to a single bond I believe because in the possible Lewis structures, there are two single bonds and one double.