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Ch.8 - Covalent Compounds: Bonding Theories and Molecular Structure
Chapter 8, Problem 106d

At high temperatures, sulfur vapor is predominantly in the form of S2(g) molecules. (d) When two electrons are added to S2, the disulfide ion S22- is formed. Is the bond length in S22- likely to be shorter or longer than the bond length in S2? Explain.

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1
Understand the effect of adding electrons to a molecule: Adding electrons to a molecule like S2 increases the electron density between the atoms, which affects the molecular structure and bonding.
Recall the relationship between bond order and bond length: Generally, a higher bond order (more bonding electrons) results in a shorter bond length because the increased electron density between the nuclei pulls them closer together.
Consider the change in bond order when forming S22- from S2: By adding two electrons to S2, the bond order might increase if these electrons contribute to bonding rather than occupying antibonding orbitals.
Analyze the effect of additional electrons on molecular stability and bond length: If the added electrons to S2 occupy bonding molecular orbitals, they would increase the bond order, potentially leading to a shorter bond length in S22- compared to S2.
Conclude based on molecular orbital theory: If it is assumed that the added electrons in S22- contribute to bonding (and not to antibonding orbitals), the bond length in S22- is likely to be shorter than in S2.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Bond Length

Bond length is the average distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms. It is influenced by the type of bond (single, double, or triple) and the number of electrons shared between the atoms. Generally, as the number of shared electrons increases, the bond length decreases due to stronger attractive forces between the nuclei and the shared electrons.
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Ionic vs. Covalent Bonds

Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between atoms, while ionic bonds result from the transfer of electrons, leading to the formation of charged ions. In the case of the disulfide ion S2²-, the addition of two electrons alters the electron density and can affect the bond characteristics, including bond length, compared to the neutral S2 molecule.
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Electron Repulsion

Electron repulsion occurs when negatively charged electrons repel each other, influencing molecular geometry and bond lengths. In the S2²- ion, the added electrons increase electron-electron repulsion, which can lead to a longer bond length compared to the neutral S2 molecule, as the increased repulsion pushes the bonded atoms further apart.
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