What do you understand by hybridization? Explain different types of hybridization involving s and p orbitals

Hybridization is a concept in molecular chemistry that describes the combination of two or more atomic orbitals to form the same number of hybrid orbitals, each having the same energy and shape. This concept is used to explain the shape of molecular structures that are observed experimentally.

The different types of hybridization involving s and p orbitals include:

1. sp Hybridization: This occurs when one s and one p orbital combine to form two equivalent sp hybrid orbitals. The two hybrid orbitals align themselves 180° apart, resulting in a linear shape. An example of a molecule with sp hybridization is BeCl2.

2. sp2 Hybridization: This happens when one s and two p orbitals combine to form three equivalent sp2 hybrid orbitals. The three hybrid orbitals align themselves 120° apart in a plane, resulting in a trigonal planar shape. An example of a molecule with sp2 hybridization is BF3.

3. sp3 Hybridization: This occurs when one s and three p orbitals combine to form four equivalent sp3 hybrid orbitals. The four hybrid orbitals align themselves approximately 109.5° apart in three dimensions, resulting in a tetrahedral shape. An example of a molecule with sp3 hybridization is CH4.

4. sp3d Hybridization: This happens when one s, three p and one d orbitals combine to form five equivalent sp3d hybrid orbitals. The five hybrid orbitals align themselves approximately 120° apart in three dimensions, resulting in a trigonal bipyramidal shape. An example of a molecule with sp3d hybridization is PCl5.

5. sp3d2 Hybridization: This occurs when one s, three p and two d orbitals combine to form six equivalent sp3d2 hybrid orbitals. The six hybrid orbitals align themselves approximately 90° apart in three dimensions, resulting in an octahedral shape. An example of a molecule with sp3d2 hybridization is SF6.

Each type of hybridization results in a specific geometric shape, which helps to determine the properties of the molecule.