Use the formula: Bond order = (number of bonding electrons − number of antibonding electrons) / 2
For Lewis structures, count the number of bonds between two atoms
Single bond = 1
Double bond = 2
Triple bond = 3
For resonance structures, average the bond orders of all equivalent structures
For molecular orbital theory, subtract antibonding electrons from bonding electrons, then divide by 2
For ions, adjust the electron count before calculating bond order
For polyatomic molecules, calculate bond order for each specific bond if needed