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How many electrons are in an Oxygen Radical?
How many electrons are in an Oxygen Radical? I would of said 7 because an O2 breaks homolytically. Also a radical is a species with an unpaired electron. So it makes sence to have 7.
However the OCR markscheme for the 2008 paper says 8. I can't figure out why though. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance!
However the OCR markscheme for the 2008 paper says 8. I can't figure out why though. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance!
illusionz
Remember oxygen has 6 electrons in its outer shell, so its electronic structure is 1s2 2s2 2p4
So 8 electrons.
So 8 electrons.
But that would be an oxygen ion wouldn't it?
shengoc
well you know that O2 is a diradical, ie two unpaired electrons, oxygen radical would then have only 1 unpaired electron, from molecular orbital diagrams, you simply add up all the electrons and divide by 2 for homolytic fission,
ie (2+2+2+2+2+4+2)/2 = 16/2 =8
ie (2+2+2+2+2+4+2)/2 = 16/2 =8
I'm still so confused though. I thought if oxygen had 6 electrons then an O2 molecule would have 12? And when they split they are divided equally.
Err... i have vague memories of this. Something to do with Oxygen being a biradical, i.e. it has two unpaired electrons. When the O=O bond breaks homolytically each species gets two electrons, but the electrons orbital arrangements are different to atomic oxygen or something.
Hell i dont remember, maybe someone else can expand or tell me if i'm spouting rubbish. The other two electrons would be from the first shell.
Hell i dont remember, maybe someone else can expand or tell me if i'm spouting rubbish. The other two electrons would be from the first shell.
LearningMath
Err... i have vague memories of this. Something to do with Oxygen being a biradical, i.e. it has two unpaired electrons. When the O=O bond breaks homolytically each species gets two electrons, but the electrons orbital arrangements are different to atomic oxygen or something.
Hell i dont remember, maybe someone else can expand or tell me if i'm spouting rubbish. The other two electrons would be from the first shell.
Hell i dont remember, maybe someone else can expand or tell me if i'm spouting rubbish. The other two electrons would be from the first shell.
Thats a good enough explination for me cheers!
Freerider101
I'm still so confused though. I thought if oxygen had 6 electrons then an O2 molecule would have 12? And when they split they are divided equally.
but in molecular orbital diagram all the electrons including the core is used; ie
http://www.cem.msu.edu/~reusch/VirtualText/Images/o2mos.gif
it might not be in a level syllabus(MO diagram) but it certainly is one useful way to look at it.
the diradical oxygen molecule splits giving you single radical oxygen. which has 8 electrons with it.
Freerider101
Thats a good enough explination for me cheers!
Despite my musings ending with 'hell i dont remember'!?
umm i think it is 7...
An oxygen MOLECULE has 16 electrons, of which 4 are shared.
An Oxygen ATOM has 6 electrons each, but 2 of those are in a bond. Leaving 4 electrons.
When the bond O=O breaks, because of UV light or something, homolytic fission takes place, and 2 electrons in the bond EACH go to EACH OXYGEN ATOM.
And thus you will have 7 electrons on an oxygen radical?
Is that right? i think i confused myself
An oxygen MOLECULE has 16 electrons, of which 4 are shared.
An Oxygen ATOM has 6 electrons each, but 2 of those are in a bond. Leaving 4 electrons.
When the bond O=O breaks, because of UV light or something, homolytic fission takes place, and 2 electrons in the bond EACH go to EACH OXYGEN ATOM.
And thus you will have 7 electrons on an oxygen radical?
Is that right? i think i confused myself
actually scrap what i sed... 
an Oxygen molecule doesn't have 16 electrons -.-
an Oxygen molecule doesn't have 16 electrons -.-killfestab
actually scrap what i sed... an Oxygen molecule doesn't have 16 electrons -.-
an Oxygen molecule doesn't have 16 electrons -.-I thought it did have 16!?
Freerider101
I thought it did have 16!?
There seems to be an element of confusion here... (pun intended
)oxygen atoms have a short configuration of 2,6
It is element number 8 it has to have 8 electrons in total.
An oxygen molecule is O2.
It consists of two oxygen atoms so it has 2 x 8 = 16 electrons.
Free radicals are, by definition, neutral, i.e. they must have as many electrons as protons.
Oxygen molecules are themselves stable diradicals in which the two unpaired electrons are in parallel spin states. Dioxygen is unusually (for a radical) stable. This is called a triplet state.
A dioxygen (peroxo) diradical can be formed from an oxygen molecule, •O-O•, which still has 16 electrons but two of them are unpaired in different orbitals - this issaid to be a dioxygen singlet state, it is very reactive and responsible for combustion.
An oxygen diradical •O• has 8 electrons, two of which are unpaired, it is simply an oxygen atom, configuration 1s2 2s2 2px2 2py1 2pz1
Oxygen atomic diradicals are not common but are formed in atmospheric processes as intermediates:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/ChemistrySunlight/chemistry_sunlight3a.php
you guys are over thinking this, O has 8 electrons, you may have noticed that it also has two unpaired electrons so it is a radical (di radical) non the less a radical. O = a radical. we ask again:"How many electrons are in an Oxygen Radical?"
oxygen radical is simply oxygen-O and "O" has 8 electrons so yahh fun stuff.
oxygen radical is simply oxygen-O and "O" has 8 electrons so yahh fun stuff.
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