bond order

Bond order is a formal measure of the multiplicity of a covalent bond between two atoms. In a covalent bond between two atoms, a single bond has a bond order of one, a double bond has a bond order of two, a triple bond has a bond order of three, and so on.

A high bond order indicates more attraction between electrons. A higher bond order also means that the atoms are held together more tightly. With a lower bond order, there is less attraction between electrons and this causes the atoms to be held together more loosely. Bond order also indicates the stability of the bond. The higher the bond order, the more electrons holding the atoms together, and therefore the greater the stability.