Resonance
What is Resonance?
Resonance is a concept in chemistry used when a single Lewis structure cannot adequately represent the bonding in a molecule or ion. Instead, two or more resonance structures (differing only in the placement of electrons) are drawn, and the actual molecule is a hybrid (weighted average) of these. Benzene (C₆H₆) is the classic example. Resonance stabilisation lowers the energy of the molecule compared to any single contributing structure.
Key Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Resonance is a concept in chemistry used when a single Lewis structure cannot adequately represent the bonding in a molecule or ion. Instead, two or more resonance structures (differing only in the placement of electrons) are drawn, and the actual molecule is a hybrid (weighted average) of these. Benzene (C₆H₆) is the classic example. Resonance stabilisation lowers the energy of the molecule compared to any single contributing structure.