Question

Given below are two statements:

Statement I: Experimentally determined oxygen-oxygen bond lengths in the \( O_2 \) are found to be the same and the bond length is greater than that of a \( O=O \) (double bond) but less than that of a single \( O-O \) bond.

Statement II: The strong lone pair-lone pair repulsion between oxygen atoms is solely responsible for the fact that the bond length in ozone is smaller than that of a double bond \( O=O \) but more than that of a single bond \( O-O \).

In light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. Statement I is true but Statement II is false
• B. Statement I is false but Statement II is true
• C. Both Statement I and Statement II are false
• D. Both Statement I and Statement II are true

Hint:

In molecules like ozone, resonance structures and lone pair interactions can significantly affect bond lengths and angles, deviating from simple bond theory predictions.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

- Statement I is true: The oxygen-oxygen bond length in \( O_2 \) is indeed greater than a double bond \( O=O \) but less than a single \( O-O \) bond.
- Statement II is also true: In ozone, the bond length is affected by lone pair-lone pair repulsion, which is greater than in \( O=O \) bonds, leading to a slightly longer bond in ozone.

Final Answer: Both Statement I and Statement II are true.