To determine the number of antibonding orbitals associated with an atom, it's essential to understand that bonding and antibonding orbitals are concepts relevant to molecular orbital (MO) theory rather than individual atoms. In MO theory, two atomic orbitals combine to form one bonding orbital and one antibonding orbital. Therefore, to analyze antibonding orbitals, one must consider the molecular context where atomic orbitals interact. Drawing molecular orbital diagrams is a common method to visualize these interactions, but it is crucial to remember that antibonding orbitals arise only when atomic orbitals from different atoms combine in a molecule.
