Hybridized increases or decreases

[Karolina herrera1F]

Can someone answer what having a a bond angle of an sp3 hybridized atom is 109.5 and that of an sp2 hybridized atom of 120 will the hybrid orbitals increase or decrease? How do we know when they increase or decrease?

[Chem_Mod]

If you are referring to increase and decrease of the bond angles like 109.5* and 120*, then it is determined by the structure. So sp3 is tetrahedral, so it has the same angle of 109.5* as the regular tetrahedrals. Same with the sp2 having a structure of trigonal planar and 120* bond angles.

[Katie Bart 1I]

So do bond angles change when an atom is hybridized? Or does it just depend on the atom?

[MeeraBhagat]

hybridization just describes the mechanism of how those bonds actually form and in what form they exist. It does not change the shape.