## Which Hybrid Orbital

$sp, sp^{2}, sp^{3}, dsp^{3}, d^{2}sp^{3}$

Chelsey_Schaum1H
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2016 3:00 am

### Which Hybrid Orbital

Hey can someone tell me how you know which hybrid orbital to use? I know linear you use sp and trigonal planar sp2 etc. but why do you use these?

Edward_Lee_3C
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:58 pm

### Re: Which Hybrid Orbital

Count the number of electron densities (where there is bonding/lone pairs)
sp = 2 electron densities
sp^2 = 3 electron densities
sp^3 = 4 electron densities
sp^3d = 5 electron densities
sp^3d^2 = 6 electron densities

The central atom in trigonal planar bonds in three places and has no lone pairs so it has 3 electron density areas so it hybridizes into sp^2.

michaeljwilson3
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:57 pm

### Re: Which Hybrid Orbital

if there is a double or triple bond, that only counts as one electron density correct?

Britney Pheng 1L
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:56 pm
Been upvoted: 1 time

### Re: Which Hybrid Orbital

michaeljwilson3 wrote:if there is a double or triple bond, that only counts as one electron density correct?

Yes, double and triple bonds only count as one electron density!

For example, $H-C\equiv N:$ would only have two regions of electron densities.

604746385
Posts: 26
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:56 pm

### Re: Which Hybrid Orbital

Samuel_Vydro_1I
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2016 3:00 am

### Re: Which Hybrid Orbital

Yes remember that the double and triple bonds include pi bonds which aren't shown in the hybridized orbitals which only illustrate sigma bonds and lone pairs

104822659
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:57 pm

### Re: Which Hybrid Orbital

Is six the highest number of electron density an element can have?