A resonance hybrid is a molecule or ion that is best represented by two or more valid Lewis structures, called resonance structures. The actual structure is a weighted average of these resonance forms, resulting in delocalized electrons.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Resonance hybrids are depicted with a double-headed arrow between the contributing resonance structures.
The real structure of the molecule is more stable than any individual resonance form.
Resonance hybrids help to explain properties such as bond lengths and energies that cannot be described by a single Lewis structure.
Formal charges are used to determine the most significant resonance contributors.
The concept of resonance does not imply that molecules oscillate between different forms; rather, they exist as an average.
A theoretical charge on an atom in a molecule, calculated based on the assumption that electrons in all chemical bonds are shared equally between atoms.