 Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-chemistry-course-of-the-year-1-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2021/paper-1/2/a/iii/solution

Use

b = (N_{bonding} - N_{antibonding}) /2

b (N_{2}) = 3, b (O_{2}) = 2, b (L i_{2}) = 1, b (B e_{2}) = 0

in the elementary configurations. The zero for Be

_{2}

is a limitation of this occupancy count, not proof that its measured interaction potential is everywhere repulsive.

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