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

1:53 minutes

Problem 37

Textbook Question

Hydrogen forms bonds without hybridizing. Why?

Verified step by step guidance

Hydrogen has only one electron and one orbital, the 1s orbital, which is spherical in shape. This means it does not have additional orbitals to hybridize.

Hybridization occurs when atomic orbitals mix to form new hybrid orbitals, typically in atoms with multiple orbitals (like carbon, nitrogen, or oxygen). Hydrogen lacks the necessary orbitals for this process.

The single 1s orbital of hydrogen is sufficient to overlap with other orbitals (like the sp³ orbitals of carbon in methane) to form stable covalent bonds.

Since hydrogen does not have p, d, or f orbitals, it cannot undergo hybridization. Its bonding behavior is entirely based on the direct use of its 1s orbital.

This simplicity in bonding makes hydrogen unique and allows it to form single covalent bonds without the need for hybridization.

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.

Atomic Structure of Hydrogen

Hydrogen has a simple atomic structure, consisting of one proton and one electron. This simplicity allows hydrogen to form bonds using its single electron without the need for hybridization, which is a process that involves mixing atomic orbitals to create new hybrid orbitals for bonding.

Bonding in Chemistry

In chemistry, bonding refers to the interactions that hold atoms together in molecules. Hydrogen typically forms covalent bonds by sharing its single electron with other atoms, allowing it to achieve a stable electron configuration similar to that of helium, without the necessity of hybrid orbitals.

Hybridization

Hybridization is a concept in organic chemistry where atomic orbitals mix to form new hybrid orbitals that can accommodate bonding. However, in the case of hydrogen, its single s orbital is sufficient for bonding, making hybridization unnecessary for its interactions with other elements.