Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Hgrigsby on August 16, 2005, 09:57:26 PM
-
Ok I am desperately trying to figure out this S orbital p orbital sp3 thing. I understand How Carbon is 1s2 2s2 2p3, however, I am trying to hook it up to H. Ok So (excuse my crude words) is Carbon 2 spheres and 3 dumbells? Is H one dumbell. Is that what I am working with before I shove everything together? I am somehow not getting the right shapes when I do it.
-
Ok I am desperately trying to figure out this S orbital p orbital sp3 thing. I understand How Carbon is 1s2 2s2 2p3, however, I am trying to hook it up to H. Ok So (excuse my crude words) is Carbon 2 spheres and 3 dumbells? Is H one dumbell. Is that what I am working with before I shove everything together? I am somehow not getting the right shapes when I do it.
Alone, carbon has two spherical s-orbitals and three dumbell-shaped p-orbitals. Hydrogen alone has one spherical s-orbital. When carbon forms bonds, however, the s- and p-orbitals combine to form four half-dumbell-shaped orbitals (sp3-orbitals). Here's a picture of what methane (CH4) would look like:
http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/hillchem3/medialib/media_portfolio/text_images/CH10/FG10_13.JPG
-
AHA!!!!!!!! Thank you so much! :D