## lone pairs

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

Moryel Yashar 1J
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:15 am

### lone pairs

Are lone pairs taken into consideration when determining the hybridization of a central atom?

Nicholas Carpo 1L
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:19 am

### Re: lone pairs

Yes the lone pairs are taken into account since the number of hybrid orbitals is equal to the number of regions of e- density around the atom.

Yvonne Du
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:23 am

### Re: lone pairs

Yes, one lone pair is considered as one electron density. Since hybridization is based on the number of electron density, you consider lone pairs too.

Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:25 am

### Re: lone pairs

One example of this would be the the molecule H^2O. The central atom, oxygen has two bonds ( one with each hydrogen ) and two sets of lones pairs. Therefore the hybridization of oxygen would sp^3.

Tony Ong 3K
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:23 am

### Re: lone pairs

yes lone pairs dictates the molecular shape.
For instance, let us assume that a central atom has a steric number of 4. This means that its electron arrangement is tetrahedral, however say it has 2 lone pairs. This means that the molecular shape is angular.

Anyhow, Have a nice night!!!

Samantha Chang 2K
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:17 am

### Re: lone pairs

Yes, a lone pair is considered a region of electron density and therefore you will count it to find hybridization.

Eruchi Okpara 2E
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:28 am

### Re: lone pairs

Is the answer automatically wrong if lone pairs are not separated from the shared pairs of electrons? for instance, if something has 3 shared pairs of electrons and 2 lone pairs, can it only be written as AX3E2 or can you write it as AX5?

SophiaKohlhoff4B
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:16 am

### Re: lone pairs

Eruchi Okpara 4D wrote:Is the answer automatically wrong if lone pairs are not separated from the shared pairs of electrons? for instance, if something has 3 shared pairs of electrons and 2 lone pairs, can it only be written as AX3E2 or can you write it as AX5?

The VSEPR formula calls to use A for the central atom, X for the bonded atoms, and E for the lone pairs of electrons. You can't write AX3E2 as AX5 because the shape of the molecules will be different.

Abhi4F
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:28 am

### Re: lone pairs

Yes, since lone pairs are a region of electron density it is taken into account for hybridization.

Daniel Lai
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:28 am

### Re: lone pairs

Lone pairs count as an area of electron density so they count for hybridization.

leediane0916
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:29 am

### Re: lone pairs

the lone pair counts as one electron density so you have to consider it!

305127455
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:16 am

### Re: lone pairs

Long pairs does count, and memorizing this and "formula" of hybridization should be enough to solve most of the related problems.

905109118
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Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 12:16 am

### Re: lone pairs

Yes the lone pairs are taken into consideration. The number of hybrid orbitals is equal to the number of regions around the atom.

Divya Pimparkar 1E
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:19 am

### Re: lone pairs

Yes, lone pairs are taken into account for hybridization because they are an electron region so they're used for placing electrons in hybrid orbitals

Anand Narayan 1G
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:15 am

### Re: lone pairs

Yes, Lone pairs do indeed count as an area of electron density, so yes, they count for hybridization.

Anjali 4A
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:28 am

### Re: lone pairs

To figure out hybridization, we need to calculate the steric number which is the number of sigma bonds and number of lone pairs, therefore do have to take lone pairs into account when figuring out the hybridization.

Ricardo Martin 1J
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:15 am

### Re: lone pairs

Yes, since hybridization relates to the # of areas of electron density and lone pairs are considered an area of electron density, then lone pairs are taken into consideration for hybridization.

Jaifreen_Bhangu_3K
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:26 am

### Re: lone pairs

Yes, you consider all regions of electron density.

Jchellis 1I
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:15 am

### Re: lone pairs

Lone pairs count just as much as an atom for a region of electron density

josephperez_2C
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Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 3:04 am

### Re: lone pairs

Each lone pair is considered a region of electron density so they should be taken into account.

Jack Hewitt 2H
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:27 am

### Re: lone pairs

Moryel Yashar 1J wrote:Are lone pairs taken into consideration when determining the hybridization of a central atom?

Yes lone pairs are taken into consideration because they are still areas of electron density.