Page 15 - GALIET PHYSICS BLOSSOMS IV+
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1.2c Explain the structure of the benzene molecule, and how it is that a superposition of 2 different ”localized bond” states produces a ground state of lower energy. Show what the wave functions for these states look like.
The Benzene Molecule C6H6 has two different ball-and-stick structures:
The ball-and-stick structures depend on:
• which C atoms are linked by double bonds, and
• which C atoms are linked by single bonds.
Each is linked to a Quantum State (QS)
• The upper one is |1>
• The lower, spherical one is |2>
C electron clouds dwell in the top right, sticking out perpendicular to the ring.
Kékulé was amazed to discover that the Benzene Molecule’s actual ground state was not the one in the top right, but the one in the lower right. Its real ground state was a superposition or hybridization of both quantum states |1> and |2>. Indeed, the electron clouds did not dwell in the top right, but in the lower right
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