Resonance [ENDORSED]

[QuincyH1G]

Dr. Lavelle was saying how resonance actually doesn't follow bond diagrams and that they share distances equally on the example he used. Is there a symbol for those types of bonds on electron configuration diagrams that show resonance, or do we not work with those?

[octaviahuang1f]

Resonance is indicated by double-headed arrows that connect different possible Lewis diagrams for one actual structure. The arrows compare and contrast those possible Lewis structures for a molecule. e.g., the actual structures of N-O in NO3 have a partial double bond character, but on the diagram, it is shown by a double bond which can be any among the three bonds. The three possible diagrams are connected by two double-headed arrows. Hope this helps!

[Paywand Baghal]

Resonance is the blending of all the possible structures a molecule could have, correct?

[Ashley Martinez 1G]

Resonance is the blending of all the possible structures a molecule could have, correct?

Right, it's the blending of structures with the same arrangement of atoms but different arrangement of electrons.

[SammiOrsini_1B]

How do we know when resonance is supposed to be applied? Would we be told that resonance is applicable in a certain problem or are we supposed to know that the molecule will have multiple forms as to which the electrons can be situated?

[EllenRenskoff-1C]

To my understanding, the point of resonance is that the double bond (or triple bond) is not necessarily shared only between two atoms but rather is equally distributed in the compound. If we are drawing resonance structures, we are showing that property. I think that problems will specify whether or not we need to draw resonance structures, and that if they don't, we would just draw the configuration that is the most stable/ uses the least amount of energy.