hybridization

[Adrienne_4F]

In our notes, professor wrote the hybridization as 2sp, 2sp2, etc but in the the textbook they write it just as sp, sp2, etc.. what is the difference?

[Jeannine 1I]

sp and sp2 and so on are the general hybridization of atoms. When it says 2sp2 that refers to the second period orbitals.

For example, if we are asked to label the bond between C and H in CH4, we would label it as . This is because Carbon has valence electrons in period 2!

[Kate Chow 4H]

The 2 preceding the sp(x) just tells you which period (row in the periodic table) he's talking about. It relates to electron configuration. For example, Oxygen's electron configuration is 1s2 2s2 2p4, so when you have to write the hybridization of oxygen, it would be 2sp(x)

[megan blatt 2B]

Going off of the previous responses, the 2 relates back to electronic configuration. The 2 describes which energy level the hybridization is occurring at. You could label it as 2sp, 2sp^2, etc. when hybridization occurs between the 2s and 2p orbitals, as is the case when hybridizing boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and flourine or any of the period 2 elements.