14.2 Hybridization (Chemistry)

Reason for Hybridization

Atom can form stronger covalent bonds with greater overlap, due to different energies, shapes, orientation

Evidence of Hybridization

Carbon has one 's' orbital and 3 'p' orbitals (slightly higher energy) but all bonds are equal (e.g. in CH4) suggesting hybridization for equal energy for all orbitals

Lone Pairs and Hybridization

Lone pairs are also involved in hybridization, e.g. NH₃ has sp³ hybridization with 3 bonding and 1 lone pair

Hybridization

Mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid atomic orbitals of intermediate energy

sp Hybridization

One 's' and one 'p' orbital hybridize into two 'sp' and two unhybridized 'p' orbitals

sp³ Hybridization

One 's' and three 'p' orbital hybridize into four 'sp' orbitals

sp² Hybridization

One 's' and three 'p' orbital hybridize into three 'sp²' and one unhybridized 'p' orbital

sp³ Geometry

Orbitals orientate at 109.5°, tetrahedral molecular geometry, overlap of each hybrid orbital forms 4σ bonds, e.g. CH₄

sp² Geometry

Orbitals orientate at 120°, trigonal planar molecular geometry, overlap of each hybrid orbital forms 3σ bonds, e.g. C₂H₄

sp Geometry

Orbitals orientate at 180°, linear molecular geometry, overlap of each hybrid orbital forms 2σ bonds, e.g. C₂H₂