What is Hybridization?
When two atomic orbitals combine to form a hybrid orbital in a molecule, the energy of the orbitals of individual atoms is redistributed to give orbitals of equivalent energy. This is known as hybridization.
The atomic orbitals of comparable energies are mixed together during the hybridization process, which mostly involves the merging of two orbitals or two ‘p’ orbitals or the mixing of an ‘s’ orbital with a ‘p’ orbital as well as an ‘s’ orbital with a ‘d’ orbital.
Hybrid orbitals are the new orbitals formed as a result of this process. More importantly, hybrid orbitals can be used to explain atomic bonding properties and molecular geometry. Carbon, for example, forms four single bonds in which the valence-shell s orbital combines with three valence-shell p orbitals. This combination generates four equivalent sp3 mixtures. These will be arranged in a tetrahedral pattern around the carbon, which is bonded to four different atoms.
Steps to determine the type of Hybridisation
To understand the type of hybridization in an atom or an ion, the following rules must be followed.
- First, determine the total number of valence electrons contained in an atom or ion.
- Then, count the number of lone pairs attached to that atom or ion.
- Now, the number of orbitals required can be calculated by adding the number of duplex or octet and the number of lone pairs of electrons.
- It should be noted that the geometry of orbitals in atoms or ions is different when there is no lone pair of electrons.
Hybridization
The concept of hybridization is defined as the process of combining two atomic orbitals to create a new type of hybridized orbitals. This intermixing typically results in the formation of hybrid orbitals with completely different energies, shapes, and so on. Hybridization is primarily carried out by atomic orbitals of the same energy level. However, both fully filled and half-filled orbitals can participate in this process if their energies are equal. The concept of hybridization is an extension of valence bond theory that helps us understand bond formation, bond energies, and bond lengths.