How do you read a molecular orbital diagram?

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Solution

The following are the steps to read a molecular orbital diagram for $CO$ :
1) In the molecular orbital $(MO)$ diagram , the individual atomic orbital $(AO)$ are on the far left for $C$ and far-right for $O$ .
2) The $MOs$ of $CO$ are formed due to the overlapping of the $AOs$ .
3) There are either or $π$ orbitals.
4) When two $s$ $AOs$ overlap, there are one bonding and one antibonding $MO s$ that is $MO$ and $* MO$ .
5) The end on the overlap of two $p AOs$ produces $MO$ and $* MO$ .
6) The $2 s$ orbitals of $CO$ overlap forming $(2 s)$ and $* (2 s)$ orbitals .
7) The $2 pz$ orbitals of $CO$ end -on overlap forming $(2 p)$ and $* (2 p)$ orbitals.
8) The $2 px$ orbitals of $CO$ overlap side on overlap forming $π (2 p)$ and $π^{*} (2 p)$ orbitals.
9) The $2 py$ orbitals of $CO$ overlap side-on forming the second set of $π (2 p)$ and $π (2 p)$ orbitals.

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