"Group Activity: Molecular orbitals and bonding: What do unpaired electrons do?"
Description: Students learn how to compute and visualize molecular orbitals using IQmol and review the key concepts of the MO-LCAO picture of bonding. They also learn how to connect bond orders with experimentally observable properties (bond lengths and frequencies).
Suggested level: Beginning graduate. It is recommended to precede this activity by the "Bonding and Molecular Orbitals" lab.
Learning objectives: Learn how to interpret molecular orbitals in polyatomic molecules in terms of bonding patterns; understand the connection between bond orders and molecular properties.