Bond Order Calculator

Calculate bond order in molecules using molecular orbital theory, Lewis structures, and resonance forms.

Enter Bond Data

Results

Enter bond data to calculate bond order

Bond Order Theory

Molecular Orbital Formula

Bond Order = (Bonding e⁻ - Antibonding e⁻) / 2

  • • Higher bond order = stronger bond
  • • Bond order 1 = single bond
  • • Bond order 2 = double bond
  • • Bond order 3 = triple bond

Bond Properties

  • • Bond strength increases with order
  • • Bond length decreases with order
  • • Bond energy increases with order
  • • Fractional orders indicate resonance

Common Bond Orders

Single Bonds (1.0)

  • • H-H (H₂)
  • • C-H (methane)
  • • O-H (water)
  • • N-H (ammonia)
  • • C-C (ethane)

Double Bonds (2.0)

  • • O=O (O₂)
  • • C=O (carbonyl)
  • • C=C (ethylene)
  • • S=O (sulfoxide)
  • • N=O (nitro)

Triple Bonds (3.0)

  • • N≡N (N₂)
  • • C≡C (acetylene)
  • • C≡N (cyanide)
  • • C≡O (carbon monoxide)

Resonance Examples

Benzene (C₆H₆)

  • • Two resonance forms
  • • Each C-C bond: 1.5 order
  • • Delocalized π electrons
  • • Aromatic stability

Ozone (O₃)

  • • Two resonance forms
  • • Each O-O bond: 1.5 order
  • • Bent molecular geometry
  • • Delocalized electrons