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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: opuktun on December 09, 2009, 01:45:42 AM

Title: Why do orbital hybridization occur?
Post by: opuktun on December 09, 2009, 01:45:42 AM

Hi, we often learn that orbital hybridization helps us in explaining the bond angle and bond length for simple molecules, e.g. CH4.

But why is it that s and p orbitals undergo hybridization? Is it because the resulting hybridized orbitals are more stable?

Title: Re: Why do orbital hybridization occur?
Post by: savy2020 on December 09, 2009, 03:12:24 AM

Hybribisation of orbitals requires energy. Even then it occurs since the hybridised orbitals are more efficient tin bond formation more energy id released due to bond formation by overlap of hybridised orbitals

Title: Re: Why do orbital hybridization occur?
Post by: opuktun on December 09, 2009, 03:36:50 AM

Quote from: savy2020 on December 09, 2009, 03:12:24 AM

Hybribisation of orbitals requires energy. Even then it occurs since the hybridised orbitals are more efficient tin bond formation more energy id released due to bond formation by overlap of hybridised orbitals

Thanks, this is a good answer. But how does it lead to "more efficient bond formation?"

Title: Re: Why do orbital hybridization occur?
Post by: savy2020 on December 09, 2009, 03:43:40 AM

I don't have any reason for the formation of more efficient bond
But that is correct since the bond energies for binds between hybridised orbitals are more than that of the bonds between atomic non-hybridised orbitals
I just guess that there will be higher level overlap of the hybridised orbitals though I don't claim to have any proof for that.

Title: Re: Why do orbital hybridization occur?
Post by: opuktun on December 09, 2009, 06:02:24 AM

Quote from: savy2020 on December 09, 2009, 03:43:40 AM

I just guess that there will be higher level overlap of the hybridised orbitals though I don't claim to have any proof for that.

That's a good point. :)

What do others think?

Title: Re: Why do orbital hybridization occur?
Post by: cabaal on December 09, 2009, 10:04:34 AM

If the carbon didn't hybridize in methane, it wouldn't be able to form more than 2 bonds.

(https://www.chemicalforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chemguide.co.uk%2Fbasicorg%2Fbonding%2Fcground.GIF&hash=501b940ee46ef65368125b605d850b05046af5ea)

(https://www.chemicalforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chemguide.co.uk%2Fbasicorg%2Fbonding%2Fcpromote.GIF&hash=4e5ffe09aea15022c6344f0cc173eeb02a6932f9)

Title: Re: Why do orbital hybridization occur?
Post by: Borek on December 09, 2009, 12:21:02 PM

Quote from: cabaal on December 09, 2009, 10:04:34 AM

(https://www.chemicalforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chemguide.co.uk%2Fbasicorg%2Fbonding%2Fcpromote.GIF&hash=4e5ffe09aea15022c6344f0cc173eeb02a6932f9)

This is not hybrydization (yet).