Which of the following statements best describes the bonding and structure of an ozone O3 molecule in terms of its chemical bonds?

Introduction / Context:
Ozone is a triatomic molecule of oxygen that plays a crucial role in absorbing ultraviolet radiation in the upper atmosphere. Its bonding is more complex than that of the diatomic oxygen molecule and is commonly used in chemistry to introduce the concept of resonance and delocalized bonding. Understanding how the bonds in ozone are described helps learners appreciate that some molecules cannot be represented accurately by a single simple Lewis structure.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The question asks which statement best describes the bonding in an ozone molecule O3.
Options mention ideas about single bonds, double bonds, and resonance.
We assume basic knowledge of Lewis structures and resonance from school level chemistry.
The focus is on bond order and equivalence of the two oxygen to oxygen bonds.

Concept / Approach:
When we draw Lewis structures for ozone, we can write two equivalent structures. In one structure, the double bond is between the central oxygen and one terminal oxygen, and in the other structure, the double bond is between the central oxygen and the other terminal oxygen. Neither structure alone fully represents the real molecule. Instead, the actual structure is a resonance hybrid of the two. As a result, both oxygen to oxygen bonds are equivalent and have a bond order intermediate between a single and a double bond, often described as having bond order 1.5. Therefore, the correct description emphasizes equivalent bonds and resonance rather than one fixed single and one fixed double bond.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the two contributing Lewis structures of ozone, each with one O double bond and one O single bond. Step 2: Understand that the real molecule is a resonance hybrid of these two contributing structures. Step 3: Conclude that the two O to O bonds become equivalent in the resonance hybrid. Step 4: Describe this equivalence by assigning a bond order of 1.5 to each O to O bond. Step 5: Choose the option that explicitly mentions both bonds being equivalent and having bond order 1.5.

Verification / Alternative check:
Experimental measurements such as bond lengths show that both O to O bonds in ozone have the same length, which lies between the typical lengths of an O single bond and an O double bond. This supports the idea that both bonds are equivalent and have partial double bond character. In addition, textbooks consistently describe ozone as a resonance stabilized molecule with delocalized pi electrons, further confirming this description.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Saying that the double bond simply switches back and forth as a single fixed structure suggests a rapid flipping between two distinct structures rather than a resonance hybrid, which is a conceptual combination, not a physical alternation.
Describing ozone as having one permanent single bond and one permanent double bond contradicts the observed equality of bond lengths and the resonance explanation.
The option that none of the statements are correct is wrong because the resonance based description with bond order 1.5 accurately reflects both theory and experiment.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often take one resonance structure too literally and think the molecule must have one single and one double bond at any instant. Others may confuse resonance with rapid oscillation. It is important to understand that resonance means the real structure is a hybrid where electrons are delocalized, leading to equivalent bonds. Remembering this helps in correctly choosing the option that describes ozone bonds as equivalent with bond order 1.5.

Final Answer:
The best description is that Each oxygen atom in ozone is connected to another by bonds of order 1.5 due to resonance, so both bonds are equivalent.