In inorganic chemistry, I learnt that stability of some atoms like ozone cannot be explained by one structure alone and hence the hybrid of possible structures is taken and assumed to be the structure and this is called resonance structure.
However, the book clearly states that it is wrong to assume that electrons move about back and forth alternating between the two structures, and that resonance is a theoretical concept only.
Here's an example for ozone.
But in organic chemistry I learnt that resonance means electrons moving around and in fact some molecules like benzene are really stable because the moving of electrons causes energy to be continuously lost. We also drew the electrons moving around for some structures like nitrobenzene and learnt how these cause ortho para/ meta directing nature.
The two resonances I learnt about don't seem to be the same. My question is, what is the difference? Or is there a concept I misunderstood?
some molecules like benzene are really stable because the moving of electrons causes energy to be continuously lost
This is wrong. Very wrong. The first description about ozone is correct. $\endgroup$ – bon Dec 5 '15 at 17:40