## Energy of Hybrid Orbitals

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

deeksha1I
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:04 am

### Energy of Hybrid Orbitals

Just to clarify: the energy of hybridized orbitals is an average of the normal orbitals, correct?

Danah Albaaj 1I
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:07 am

### Re: Energy of Hybrid Orbitals

I wouldn't say that the energy of a hybridized orbital is the average of its contributing orbitals. Instead, I like to think about how much each orbital contributed to the hybridized orbital's energy. For example, a sp^3 orbital has 25% s-character and 75% p-character. It would make sense that the hybridized orbital's energy will be much closer to the p-orbital in energy than an average would make it because the p-orbital makes up most of its energy.

Chloe Blume 1F
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:04 am

### Re: Energy of Hybrid Orbitals

Going along with energy of hybrid orbitals, how do they compare to other non hybrid orbitals and why do they occur?

Curtis Wong 2D
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Jul 22, 2017 3:00 am

### Re: Energy of Hybrid Orbitals

Hybrid orbitals occur because we want to essentially form more bonds. For instance, a Carbon atom, by theory, says we can form 4 bonds because we have 4 valence electrons. However, when we take a look at the electron configuration, we can see that 2 of its electrons (in the s-orbital are already paired), suggesting that it can only for 2 bonds with its 2 unpaired electrons in the p-orbital. We know that this is not true, so instead hybridization occurs to combine the orbitals to allow more bonds to form. Thus, we can 4 sp3 orbitals, allowing for 4 bonds.

AtreyiMitra2L
Posts: 169
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:03 am
Been upvoted: 1 time

### Re: Energy of Hybrid Orbitals

I would say it is an average of the other energies. This is seen by the ideas of s character and p character. The more p character it has, the closer it will be to the p orbitals and the farther it will be from the s orbitals.