Atoms and Molecules

Molecules and Chemical Bonds

What is molecular orbital theory?

Molecular orbital theory is the other main theory (the first was valence bond theory) used to explain and predict bonding properties in molecules. Molecular orbital theory describes bonding interactions by using molecular orbitals that are spread out over multiple atoms, and this allows an electron’s location to be described by an orbital that bonds atoms together in a more realistic way than valence bond theory.

