In short: The bond order of $\ce {CO}$ is not exactly 3 and removing an electron will not increase the bond order to 3.5. In both cases, the observed bond order is probably closer to 2.5, while experiments suggest that the bond is stronger in $\ce {CO+}$. In this bond order calculator we will show you how to find the bond order using Lewis structures, or a formula derived from the molecular orbital theory. Hint: The molecular orbital theory helps us find out the bond order on the basis of molecular order diagrams. The Atomic no, of C = 6 and O = 8 Complete answer: The electronic configuration of C is 1 s 2 2 s 2 2 p 2 and that of O + is 1 s 2 2 s 2 2 p 4. Steps for drawing the Molecular Orbital Diagram Since C O is a heteronuclear atom, the atom with more electronegativity will be placed lower in the energy level. So For the 1s degenerate orbital, 2 electrons will go to σ 1 s and 2 electrons ... Learn how to calculate the bond order of CO group using the formula and electronic configuration. The correct answer is 3 and CO has a dative bond.
