Table of contents

1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 17m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 19m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids4h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

1. A Review of General Chemistry

Hybridization

Organic Chemistry

1. A Review of General Chemistry

Hybridization

Previous problemNext problem

3:10 minutes

Problem 51i,j

Textbook Question

What is the hybridization of all the atoms (other than hydrogen) in each of the following?
What are the bond angles around each atom?
i. H₃O⁺
j. H₂C═O

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: For H₃O⁺ (hydronium ion), identify the central atom and its bonding. The central atom is oxygen, which is bonded to three hydrogen atoms and has one lone pair of electrons. This gives a total of four regions of electron density around the oxygen atom.

Step 2: Determine the hybridization of the oxygen atom in H₃O⁺. Since there are four regions of electron density (three bonds and one lone pair), the hybridization of oxygen is sp³. Use the formula: hybridization = number of sigma bonds + number of lone pairs.

Step 3: Predict the bond angles around the oxygen atom in H₃O⁺. The ideal bond angle for sp³ hybridization is 109.5°, but due to the lone pair repulsion, the bond angles will be slightly less than 109.5°.

Step 4: For H₂C═O (formaldehyde), identify the central atom and its bonding. The central atom is carbon, which is double-bonded to oxygen and single-bonded to two hydrogen atoms. This gives a total of three regions of electron density around the carbon atom.

Step 5: Determine the hybridization and bond angles for the carbon atom in H₂C═O. With three regions of electron density, the carbon atom is sp² hybridized. The bond angles around the carbon atom are approximately 120°, which is characteristic of sp² hybridization and a trigonal planar geometry.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above

Video duration:

Play a video:

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Hybridization

Hybridization is the concept of mixing atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals that can accommodate the bonding requirements of an atom. In organic chemistry, it helps explain the geometry and bonding properties of molecules. For example, sp3 hybridization involves one s and three p orbitals, resulting in a tetrahedral shape, while sp2 involves one s and two p orbitals, leading to a trigonal planar arrangement.

Bond Angles

Bond angles are the angles formed between adjacent bonds in a molecule, which are determined by the hybridization of the central atom. These angles reflect the spatial arrangement of the electron pairs around the atom. For instance, in sp3 hybridized molecules, the bond angles are approximately 109.5 degrees, while in sp2 hybridized molecules, they are about 120 degrees.

Molecular Geometry

Molecular geometry refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms within a molecule. It is influenced by the number of bonding pairs and lone pairs of electrons around the central atom, which dictate the shape of the molecule. Understanding molecular geometry is crucial for predicting the physical and chemical properties of compounds, such as polarity and reactivity.

Watch next

Master How carbon creates 4 partially-filled orbitals. with a bite sized video explanation from Johnny

Start learning

Related Videos

Related Practice

Textbook Question

Use hybrid orbitals to draw the following molecules.

(d)

Textbook Question

Draw the molecular orbital picture of the following molecules and ions. In each, how many electrons are in the p orbital on the central atom? (b) BH₃

Textbook Question

Draw the molecular orbital picture of the following molecules and ions. In each, how many electrons are in the p orbital on the central atom? (c) AlCl₃

Textbook Question

Explain why a σ bond formed by overlap of an s orbital with an sp³ orbital of carbon is stronger than a σ bond formed by overlap of an s orbital with a p orbital of carbon.