2s and 2p- atomic orbitals combine to give how many molecular orbitals ?

Options

A. 2
B. 4
C. 8
D. 6

Explanation

To determine how many molecular orbitals are formed from the combination of 2s and 2p atomic orbitals, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Atomic Orbitals**:
We have two types of atomic orbitals: the 2s and 2p orbitals.

2. **Count the Molecular Orbitals from 2s Orbitals**:
- The 2s atomic orbitals combine to form two molecular orbitals:
- One bonding molecular orbital, called Sigma (σ) 2s.
- One antibonding molecular orbital, called Sigma star (σ*) 2s.
- Therefore, from the 2s orbitals, we get **2 molecular orbitals**.

3. **Count the Molecular Orbitals from 2p Orbitals**:
- The 2p atomic orbitals combine to form six molecular orbitals:
- Two bonding molecular orbitals, called Pi (π) 2px and Pi (π) 2py.
- One bonding molecular orbital, called Sigma (σ) 2pz.
- Two antibonding molecular orbitals, called Pi star (π*) 2px and Pi star (π*) 2py.
- One antibonding molecular orbital, called Sigma star (σ*) 2pz.
- Therefore, from the 2p orbitals, we get **6 molecular orbitals**.

4. **Total Molecular Orbitals**:
- Now, we add the molecular orbitals from both the 2s and 2p orbitals:
- From 2s: 2 molecular orbitals
- From 2p: 6 molecular orbitals
- Total = 2 + 6 = **8 molecular orbitals**.

### Final Answer:
The total number of molecular orbitals formed from the combination of 2s and 2p atomic orbitals is **8**.