Which mechanism limits the bond order in diatomic molecules formed by combining atomic orbitals?

💡 Explanation

When atomic orbitals combine, both bonding and antibonding molecular orbitals are formed; progressively filling antibonding orbitals reduces the net bond order because they counteract the stabilization of bonding orbitals. Therefore populating antibonding orbitals limits bond order, rather than the Pauli exclusion principle, Hund's rule, or Aufbau principle directly.

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