Question

When do nonbonding molecular orbitals form and what relative energy do they have compared to the original atomic orbitals?

Answer 1

This is basically a trick question; nonbonding orbitals are when orbitals cannot combine to form new molecular orbitals, and they just sit there. They CAN hold electrons, but they don't have to.

(With molecular orbital theory, you can account for empty molecular orbitals, but with valence bond theory, you cannot.)

The new "molecular orbitals" are really just the original atomic orbitals.

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