How can electrons move up & down in the pi bond without passing in the middle?

Answer 1

Well, let's begin by saying the "twinsfan" is correct. But let's see if I can help this out a little more than was said.

OK, first understand that Chemistry and Physics meet at the debate of what an electron is. In chemistry, we treat the electron as a particle. In physics, we treat it as a quanta. Will it behave as a particle or as energy? Answer: both. This is called Electron Particle/Wave Duality. If we only see the electron as a particle, then you are correct to be confused... it would be impossible to exist at the nucleus. However, if we remember that the electron is also energy, then it can pass through "solid" objects.

This should fill in the only gap I saw in "twinsfan" 's explanation.

Answer 2

in my opinion, none of the above answers are right. the question you are asking is worded incorrectly as well.

maybe this will help you rephrase the question:
the picture you have of a pi bond is quite a solid object. however in reality the pi bond is not a solid object, but rather it's a "cloud" where the electron(s) is very probably existing. many authors choose to not explain this in chemistry books because young chemists will need a further explanation and the author doesn't want to include it. the point is that a solid surface does not correspond to reality and instead think of it as a "soft" cloud (with the softness corresponding to the polarizability of the cloud).

that still doesn't explain why an electron will be able to pass through a spot at the nucleus where there is a zero probability of an electron existing. the way to get around this problem is to think about a ball moving down a hallway. you can see the ball the whole way and you can easily measure its speed and position. this is exactly the opposite of an electron. there is a fundamental rule in atomic physics that you cannot know the momentum and position of any particle past a certain threshold. this is the heisenberg uncertainty principle. this principle means that "passing through" is a term that doesn't apply to an electron. an electron does not move in the way that a ball in a hallway does. there is no beginning and end to an electron's path because you cannot know where it is and where it's going at every time. boy this is getting more and more confusing the more i write so i'm just gonna stop here and say "passing through" doesn't mean anything in electron terms.

hope it helps, but i'm not holding my breath

Answer 3

Electrons are not really "particles" as you might think, i.e. they are not like little grains of dust or something. The electron is a singularity which means it has no radius and no diameter, or if you prefer, it has a radius of zero. It is essentially a naked electric charge. It can function as a wave, just as light does, or like a guitar string.The pi bond is a "standing wave" just like a plucked guitar string, except that the pi bond is the next higher harmonic vibration, equivalent to the guitar string vibrating with a "node" or zero movement point exactly in the middle. There is no movement in the "node" of either the guitar string or the pi bond. I hope this helps.

Answer 4

one at a time

Answer 5

because theyre so tiny and the bonds are too big and there are electrical repulsion interactions

Answer 6

just the way it is...black and white.