Do resonance structures always contribute equally to the overall structure of a molecule? Explain.
Solution 27E Step 1 of 1 No, because, since a overall structure is given by different resonance structures, it doesn’t always occur that each of them respects all the following rules: 1- The more covalent bond are in the structure, the more stable the resonance structure will be 2- The less formal charges are in the structure, the more stable the resonance structure will be 3- In case of formal charges having different charges, they have to be the closer as possible, otherwise that resonance structure will be unstable 4- When formal charge cannot be avoided, negative formal charge should residue on the most electro-negative atom, otherwise that resonance structure will be unstable 5- When formal charge cannot be avoided, positive formal charge should residue on the less electro-negative atom, otherwise that resonance structure will be unstable Only if there are two equivalents resonance structures because they respect all the rules above), they will have have the same average weight in determining the molecule’s true structure. That’s what happens for example in the Ozone molecule in problem 26E The two forms are the same. So they will contribute in equal way