rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryresonanceDelocalized bonding
noun

resonance

A description of electron sharing in a molecule using multiple contributing bonding structures.

We use resonance to describe electron sharing in benzene.

Etymology
resonanceLatinto sound again

Resonance originally concerns sounding again or sympathetic vibration. Chemistry adopted the term for a description combining contributing structures, rather than a molecule physically switching between them.

More examples

  • No single Lewis structure fully describes a molecule with resonance.
  • The two resonance structures place the negative charge on different oxygens.
  • Resonance does not mean that a molecule switches between structures.

Forms

resonance

Similar words

delocalization
Describes electron distribution itself, rather than its representation with structures.