Resonance form

Definition

A resonance form is one of several valid Lewis structures for a molecule or ion that cannot be depicted accurately by a single Lewis structure. These structures differ only in the placement of electrons, not in the arrangement of atoms.

Related terms

Lewis Structure:

A diagrammatic representation showing how valence electrons are distributed around atoms in a molecule.

Electron Delocalization:

The spreading out of electrons across several atoms, contributing to bonding that increases stability in certain molecules or ions.

Stability: In chemical terms, it refers to the likelihood of a compound to maintain its original structure and resist decomposition under normal conditions