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Question 82 of 84

Q.Which one of the following is diamagnetic ?

(a) O2
(b) O2^2-
(c) O2^-
(d) None of these
Puducherry TnboardTamil Nadu HSC First Year (DGE) Board 2026MCQ· 1mImportance★★★★★est
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We must identify which oxygen species has no unpaired electrons (diamagnetic).

The peroxide ion, O2^2-, is diamagnetic because all its electrons are paired; molecular O2 and the superoxide ion O2^- are paramagnetic.

Using molecular orbital theory for these O2 species:

  • O2 (16 electrons) has two electrons singly occupying the two degenerate π* antibonding orbitals (Hund's rule), giving 2 unpaired electrons — so O2 is paramagnetic (bond order 2).
  • O2^- (superoxide, 17 electrons) has 1 unpaired electron in a π* orbital — paramagnetic (bond order 1.5). …

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