Question

Give the definition for Hybridization with examples?

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Answered by GPT-4o mini
**Hybridization** is a concept in chemistry that describes the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals that are suitable for the pairing of electrons to form chemical bonds in molecules. The hybrid orbitals have different shapes and energies compared to the original atomic orbitals, and they are used to explain the geometry and bonding properties of molecules.

### Types of Hybridization:

1. **sp Hybridization**:
- **Example**: Acetylene (C₂H₂)
- In this case, one s orbital and one p orbital from the same atom combine to form two equivalent sp hybrid orbitals, which are arranged linearly at an angle of 180°.

2. **sp² Hybridization**:
- **Example**: Ethylene (C₂H₄)
- Here, one s orbital combines with two p orbitals to form three sp² hybrid orbitals, which are arranged in a trigonal planar fashion with bond angles of 120°.

3. **sp³ Hybridization**:
- **Example**: Methane (CH₄)
- In this case, one s orbital and three p orbitals mix to create four equivalent sp³ hybrid orbitals, arranged tetrahedrally with bond angles of about 109.5°.

4. **sp³d Hybridization**:
- **Example**: Phosphorus pentachloride (PCl₅)
- This involves one s orbital, three p orbitals, and one d orbital, resulting in five sp³d hybrid orbitals arranged in a trigonal bipyramidal geometry.

5. **sp³d² Hybridization**:
- **Example**: Sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆)
- This type of hybridization mixes one s orbital, three p orbitals, and two d orbitals to form six sp³d² hybrid orbitals arranged in an octahedral geometry.

### Importance of Hybridization:
Hybridization is essential for understanding molecular shapes and bonding. It allows us to rationalize the arrangement of atoms in a molecule based on the valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory, enhancing our comprehension of molecular geometry and reactivity.

In summary, hybridization provides a framework to describe the formation of bonds and the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in molecules by combining different types of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals.

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