Hybridization

The third part of the Bonding Model is called Hybridization. It explains why we get the molecular geometry we do for molecules.

For 1st year chemistry students, we keep the explanation very simple. If you want to know the more in-depth explanation, you can take AP Chemistry.
In an atom, the electrons are located in orbitals called Atomic orbitals. What we have found is that when atoms get close together that their valence electrons interact (i.e. shared electrons) that the bonding (and its physical properties) do need work correctly if we assume that the valence electrons are in atomic orbitals. So we have made up a new type of orbital when atoms bond (share electrons) called hybridized orbitals (also called bonding orbitals).
Click on [Hybridization Flash Animation] and listen to what hybridized orbitals are.

The key is # of atomic orbital in (how many atomic orbital central atom uses in bonding) = # of hybridized orbitals out (how other are in covalent bonded substance).
We only talk about hybridized orbitals on the central atoms. So we need determine how many atomic orbitals I need to use so we then know how many hybridized orbitals there are. Remember, the atomic orbitals are s, p_x, p_y,p_z, d, d, d ,d, d, f, f, f, f, f, f, f . The simple way of determining how many atomic or hybridized orbitals is as follows (also in notes on VsperTable including example):

1. The simple way of determining the Hybridization (in other words how many hybridized orbitals there are and what the name is) on the Central atom:
   1. Add up the number of outside atoms that central atom is bonding with.
   2. Add up the number of lone pairs on central atom
   3. Add together to get number.
   4. This number is number of Hybridized orbital

• Example NF₃
  • Central atom is bonded to 3 outside atoms and has one lone pair so hybridization is sp³ where there are 3 of them.