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What is Hybridization? 

By Jack Loren 

September 10, 2023

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When two or more atomic orbitals of different energies of the outermost orbital of an atom mix together to form two or more new orbitals of the same energy, 

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then this process is called hybridization of atomic orbitals and the new orbitals are called hybrid orbitals.  

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It is said that the hybridization of n orbitals of an atom forms n hybridization. 

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Alpha bonds are formed from hybridization orbitals. 

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For example, the basic electronic configuration of carbon is as follow 6C = 1s2, 2s2 2px¹ 2py¹ 2pz0 (ground state)

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It has only two valence electrons, while there should be four valence electrons because the valency of carbon is four. 

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It is believed that one of the 2s electrons gets excited and moves to the pz orbital, so the electronic configuration is as follows – 

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6C = 1s2, 2s2 2px¹ 2py¹ 2pz1 (excited state) 

These four valencies are not equal because the energies of the s and p orbitals are different, due to which these four electron orbitals .....