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Consider the molecule ozone (O3). Draw all possible resonance structures for ozone and explain how the resonance helps to stabilize the molecule.

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Ozone  O3  has two resonance structures that contribute to its overall stability. These resonance structures can be represented as follows:1. O=O-O  with a positive charge on the central oxygen and a negative charge on the right oxygen 2. O-O=O  with a positive charge on the central oxygen and a negative charge on the left oxygen These two resonance structures can be represented by a double-headed arrow between them, indicating that the true structure of ozone is a hybrid of the two.The resonance in ozone helps to stabilize the molecule by delocalizing the electrons in the double bond. Instead of having a fixed double bond between two specific oxygen atoms, the electrons are shared among all three oxygen atoms. This delocalization of electrons results in a lower overall energy for the molecule, making it more stable.Additionally, the positive and negative charges on the central and terminal oxygen atoms, respectively, are also delocalized, further contributing to the stability of the molecule. The true structure of ozone is a blend of both resonance structures, with the central oxygen having a partial positive charge and the terminal oxygens having partial negative charges. This distribution of charge helps to stabilize the molecule by reducing the electrostatic repulsion between the oxygen atoms.
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