What this calculator does
Bond order (MO theory) works out bond order and bond stability of a molecule from its bonding and antibonding electron counts. Enter your own figures above and the answer updates as you type: nothing is fixed in the code, so the result reflects exactly the numbers you supply.
The formula this calculator evaluates is printed under the tool and explained below, so you can check the working by hand or reuse it in a spreadsheet.
The formula
FormulaBond order = (bonding electrons − antibonding electrons) / 2
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Bonding electrons | A number. Starts at 8. |
| Antibonding electrons | A number. Starts at 4. |
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How the answer changes with bonding electrons
Every other input is held at the calculator’s starting values while bonding electrons varies. Select any row to load that scenario into the calculator.