Delocalized electrons

[Arya Bhalla 1H]

What exactly does it mean when we say electrons are delocalized? Also, do we use the term "electron cloud" to refer to only delocalized electrons or all electrons in general?

[505766240]

What exactly does it mean when we say electrons are delocalized? Also, do we use the term "electron cloud" to refer to only delocalized electrons or all electrons in general?

I'm not sure about the second question, but delocalized electrons are electrons in a molecule, ion, or solid metal that aren't associated with a single atom or a covalent bond. They are nonbonding electrons that occur as electron clouds above and below the molecule.

[Stephen_Kim_1D]

For your first question, I agree with the above answer. As for your second question, "electron cloud" just refers to the general cloud/area/system of electrons in an atom, not just delocalized electrons.

[Sujin Lim 1H]

To add on, delocalized electrons just mean that those electrons are not found clustered or attracted to one specific atom; rather they are spread out around multiple atoms.

[Arjun_Anumula_3E]

The term delocalized means that the electron density of a particular double bond or charge is not bound to one electron and the lowest energy (most stable) form of the molecule involves that electron density being distributed across multiple areas of the molecule.

[Ainsley McCabe 2D]

I think the electron cloud just refers to the probability density or how likely you are to find an electron in that area or "cloud". And delocalized electrons just mean that the electrons are being shared between multiple atoms in a molecule and the exact location of them is unknown.

[Emily Ngo 1E]

Hi Arya,
The electrons involved in resonance structures are delocalized because they are not attached or associated with a permanent single atom. They can be shared in different atoms and they occupy a region where their exact location is not known. Electron clouds refers to the area in which electrons orbit around the nucleus of an atom.

[Shiley_David_1D]

What exactly does it mean when we say electrons are delocalized? Also, do we use the term "electron cloud" to refer to only delocalized electrons or all electrons in general?

Hi Arya!

Electron delocalization involves the distribution of electron density beyond a fixed place such as a single atom, lone pair, or covalent bond via resonance or inductive effects. In a ring structure, delocalized electrons are indicated by drawing a circle rather than single and double bonds, which indicates that the electrons are equally likely to be anywhere along the chemical bond. Delocalized electrons contribute to the conductivity of the atom, ion, or molecule. Materials with many delocalized electrons tend to be highly conductive. Whenever electrons are less localized (meaning that they are larger in structure or delocalized) they are going to be more stable.

These were just some random facts about delocalized electrons to add onto what everyone else discussed! Hope this helps!

[Alekhya_Pantula_2E]

Delocalized electrons means that the electrons are technically shared by all the bonds. For example in benzene's resonance hybrid, the lengths of the bonds are averaged, because that bond itself can move around between the structure.

[Trisha Nagin]

An electron cloud is where the electrons are around the atom. The electrons are not bounded to a specific atom. The exact location of these electrons are not known.