Resonance forms

Definition

Resonance forms are different Lewis structures of a molecule or ion that describe the delocalization of electrons within the molecule. They represent the same compound and only differ in the arrangement of electrons, not atoms.

Related terms

Delocalized Electrons: Electrons that are spread over several atoms and do not belong to a single atom or bond.

Lewis Structures:

Diagrams that show the bonding between atoms of a molecule and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist in the molecule.

Polar Covalent Bonds:

A type of chemical bond where a pair of electrons is unequally shared between two atoms due to a difference in their electronegativities