Ozone molecule in 3D
O₃ · Three oxygen atoms with shared bonding. Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet radiation; near ground level it is an air pollutant. Explore the 3D model, inspect its parts and learn with guided explanations. Free on Atlas.
What you can learn
O₃ · Three oxygen atoms with shared bonding. Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet radiation; near ground level it is an air pollutant.
Count the 3 atoms. Match their element colours to the formula O₃.
Select a bond and identify the two atoms it connects. Two equivalent O–O connections have delocalised bonding. Single/double Lewis drawings are resonance contributors; the molecule does not switch between them.
Rotate the model to the side. Ozone’s three oxygen atoms form a bent arrangement. The two connections are equivalent in the delocalised molecule.
Explain the difference between the atoms present and the molecule they form. O₂ and O₃ contain the same element but are different molecules with different structures and properties.
Connect the model to daily life. Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet radiation; near ground level it is an air pollutant.
What is missing from a ball-and-stick picture? Consider electron density, movement and interactions with nearby molecules.
Try an investigation
Count the 3 atoms. Match their element colours to the formula O₃.
Check your understanding
How many atoms are in one O₃ molecule?
3. Add the atom counts in O₃: one molecule contains 3 atoms. Subscripts belong to the element or group immediately before them.
How many different elements make up O₃?
1. Ozone contains oxygen. Count element types separately from the total atom count.
What shape describes ozone?
Bent. Ozone’s three oxygen atoms form a bent arrangement. The two connections are equivalent in the delocalised molecule.
Which description fits the two O–O bonds?
Equivalent, with delocalised bonding. Two equivalent O–O connections have delocalised bonding. Single/double Lewis drawings are resonance contributors; the molecule does not switch between them.
How does ozone differ from oxygen gas O₂?
Ozone has three oxygen atoms per molecule. O₂ and O₃ contain the same element but are different molecules with different structures and properties.
What do the sticks in this ozone model represent?
Chemical connections between atoms. Ball-and-stick models help compare connections and spatial arrangement. Real molecules have electron distributions and vibrating nuclei, not coloured balls joined by rods.
Sources and model scope
Atomic centres use a PubChem computed 3D conformer, scaled for display.