Question

How do you identify sigma and pi-bonds?

Answer 1

Hint:. The answer to this question is based on the fact that these two bonds are covalent bonds which are formed by the overlapping of the atomic orbitals and thus based on this fact you can approach the required answer.

Complete step by step answer:
In the lower classes of chemistry, we have studied about the basic concepts of the general chemistry part which deals with the facts that include the concept of types of bonds formed between the atoms in a molecule such as ionic bid, covalent bond, coordinate bond etc.
Let us know what sigma and pi bonds are and how it can be identified.
- Sigma and pi – bonds are the two covalent bonds that are formed between the atoms in a molecule according to their valence.
- Since we know that a covalent bond is formed by sharing a single electron from each atom, the first bond formed will be the sigma bond which is formed by the head on overlap of s – s or s – p or p – p along the internuclear axis.
Similarly, pi bonds are formed by the head on overlapping of parallel p orbitals on adjacent atoms.
In an example of ethane molecule, the sigma and pi bonds formed are depicted as below,
                               

Thus, in this way sigma and pi – bonds can be identified.

Note: Note that in the multiple bonded molecules like ethyne, benzyne etc., there is only one sigma bond present by the first overlap and the rest of the overlaps will be of pi – bonds because in a molecule one sigma bond is possible between two atoms and there can be more than one pi – bond.