Understanding Benzene: Hybrid Structures vs. Superposition Explained

[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).