hydridization

Hybridization is a concept in chemistry used to explain the bonding of atoms. It describes the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new, degenerate hybrid orbitals. These hybrid orbitals have different shapes and energies than the original atomic orbitals. The most common types of hybridization involve the s and p atomic orbitals. For example, in sp3 hybridization, one s orbital and three p orbitals combine to form four sp3 hybrid orbitals, which are arranged tetrahedrally around the central atom. This type of hybridization is seen in methane (CH4).

In sp2 hybridization, one s orbital and two p orbitals mix to form three sp2 hybrid orbitals, arranged in a trigonal planar geometry, with one unhybridized p orbital remaining. This is observed in ethene (C2H4). Sp hybridization involves the mixing of one s orbital and one p orbital to create two sp hybrid orbitals, arranged linearly, with two unhybridized p orbitals. This is characteristic of ethyne (C2H2).

The process of hybridization helps to explain the observed molecular geometries and bond angles in many molecules, which cannot be adequately accounted for by considering only the pure atomic orbitals. The number of hybrid orbitals formed is always equal to the number of atomic orbitals that were mixed. Hybridization is a theoretical model, not a physical process that occurs in isolation, but it is a powerful tool for predicting and understanding chemical bonding.