Author Question: Explain what orbital hybridization means. ... (Read 21 times)

mmm · **on:** Aug 23, 2018

Explain what orbital hybridization means.

Question 2

Why can't the four bonds in CH4 result from the overlap of the one 2s and three 2p orbitals (from carbon) with four 1s orbitals (from hydrogen)?

duy1981999 · **Reply #1 on:** Aug 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Hybridization of orbitals refers to the combination of atomic orbitals which produces a new (hybrid)
set of atomic orbitals.

Answer to Question 2

The four bonds in CH4 are equivalent (giving a perfect tetrahedron), which requires our equivalent
MO's. Combining a 2s and a 1s would give a different MO from one obtained by combining a 2p and a 1s, so
that a tetrahedral geometry would not be possible.