Question

The number of electrons that are unpaired in oxygen molecule is:

• A. $16$
• B. $12$
• C. $2$
• D. $8$

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

$2$

$O_2$ contains 2 unpaired electrons in antibonding orbitals. The electronic configuration of the $O_2$ containing 16 electrons can be written as:

$1s^2\ast 1s^{2}2s^2\ast 2s^{2}2p{z}^{2}2p{x}^{2}2p{y}^2\ast 2p{x}^1\ast 2p{y}^1$