Question 24
What is meant by hybridisation of atomic orbitals? Describe the shapes of sp, sp2, sp3 hybrid orbitals.
The phenomenon of mixing of orbitals of the same atom with slight difference in energies so as to redisitribute their energies & give new orbitals of equivalent energy & shape.The new orbitals formed are known as hybrid orbitals & is called as hybridization.These hybrid orbitals have minimum repulsion between their electron pairs and thus, are more stable. Hybridization helps indicate the geometry of the molecule.
Shape of different hybridization are :
