Concept

[005388369]

What's the overlying concept behind hybridization?

[kevinchang_4I]

Hybridization of electron orbitals is important for the formation of covalent bonds between atoms. For example, CH4 has hybrid orbitals, and couldn't be formed without them. Carbon naturally only has 2 unpaired valence electrons, but we know it needs 4 to bond with the hydrogens. We hybridize and get 4 sp3 hybrid orbitals so the carbon can now bond to all the hydrogens

[805422680]

For hybridization, you are just mixing orbitals, to form new orbitals with different shape, size and energy than the component orbitals. This is energetically favorable for the formation of bonds and therefore explains why atoms such as carbon form 4 covalent bonds.

[Hannah Lee 2F]

Hybridization results from orbital overlap and stabilizes the molecule by lowering the overall energy. It allows orbitals to "blend" into new hybrid orbitals that align with the pairing of electrons in forming covalent bonds according to the VSEPR theory.