Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A molecular orbital is a region in a molecule where an electron has the highest probability of being found. It is formed by the overlap of atomic orbitals from different atoms during bond formation.
A bonding orbital is a molecular orbital that has lower energy and greater stability than the atomic orbitals from which it was formed, often leading to the formation of a chemical bond between atoms.
An antibonding orbital is a type of molecular orbital that occurs when atomic orbitals combine in such a way that leads to increased energy and decreased stability, often working against bond formation between atoms