Molecular Quadrupole Moments of N2 and O2

Molecular orbital calculations of the quadrupole moments of N2 and O2 have been made. Models assuming 20 percent s—p hybridization for N2 and 5–10 percent s—p hybridization for O2 give calculated quadrupole moments agreeing with those deduced from microwave line broadening data (0.27e×10−16 esu for N2 and <0.09e×10−16 esu for O2).