Orbital Hybridization

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Hybridization, in summary and in simple explanation, is the combination and transformation of an atom’s original orbitals forming special orbitals to have the ability to bond with others. When an atom experiences and goes through the process of hybridizing, the electron model is modified to depict it using special orbitals to form new molecules. Since it is already known that only valence electrons are used in atom or molecule bonding, only outside, valence orbitals change. Therefore, hybridization does not add or remove any original orbitals associated with an atom but only refigures them. There are five types of atom hybridization: sp, sp2, sp3, dsp3, and d2sp3. Each type has it’s own different number of groups, which are also known as electron pairs, bond angle, and geometry.

The first type of atom hybridization is sp. In sp hybridization, one pair of orbitals arranged in opposite directions from each other is needed for two electron pairs in an atom. One example of where sp hybridization most commonly occurs in is the carbon atom in carbon dioxide, which contains one carbon and two oxygens. The two special orbitals transformed are s and p. Rather than having the original three 2p and one 2s orbitals, the carbon atom in carbon dioxide now has two 2p and two sp. Both a hybridized and normal carbon atom have the same number of orbitals, only they are altered to bond more efficiently with the two oxygens. The bond angle in sp hybridization is 180 degrees because the two newly formed sp orbitals are in a straight line and right across from each other. The geometry is linear for the same reason. Another example of sp orbital hybridization occurs in an atom of magnesium hydride, where the 3s and one of the 3p original orbitals co...

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... efficient, and specially made orbitals rather than leaving it with its original orbitals. This, in return, provides us with stronger molecules to be able to use in everyday necessities like plastic and gas. If it weren’t for hybridization in atoms, we might not have some of the things we take for granted. We ought to thank atoms and hybridization for working so hard to be better.

Works Cited

Steven S. Zumdahl and Susan A. Zumdahl (2010). Chemistry. Belmont, CA: Brooks Cole
Richard F. Daley and Sally J. Daley (2005). Organic Chemistry. New York, NY: HarperCollins
Francis, E. (2003) Types of Hybridization. Dl.clackamas.cc.or.u.s. Retrieved November, 17, 2013, from dl.clackamas.cc.or.us/ch106-02/typesof.htm
Harpreet, C. Hybrid Orbitals. Chemwiki.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Organic_Chemistry/Fundamentals/Hybrid_Orbitals

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