Need Help! About resonance

Parnpuu

Question: Is a hybrid structure and a superposition the same thing? (I'm interested in the case of benzene)

Read many sources but they were contradictory..

Please help!
Thanks!

Ygggdrasil

No. Resonance hybrids represent real molecular orbitals that cannot be well represented by conventional chemistry notation. They are not superpositions of molecular orbitals. See the discussion below for more details.

http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=30853

Parnpuu

Ok, but does benzene have a superposition as well as a hybrid structure?

Ygggdrasil

Superpositions of energy eigenstates normally only come into play when you electronically excite a molecule (for example, when the molecule is interacting with light).