Hybridization

[Tara Foroohar 3K]

Hey guys! Overall, why does hybridization occur? Does it create a more stable molecule?

[Michele Shi 1K]

Hybridized orbitals are lower in energy compared to their separated, unhybridized counterparts. This results in more stable compounds

[Alex Kashou]

It allows the molecule to create more openings for bonds with other molecules that, as a result, have a lower overall energy and therefore more stable.

[rileygilbertson]

If we have an atom like Carbon and we draw out its electron diagram, there would be 2 unpaired electrons, however we know that it can have 4 bonds. Thus, the orbitals are hybridized and it becomes sp3, showing that it can have 4 bonds.

[ConnorThomas2E]

The goal is to create a molecule with overall lower energy. Although it takes energy to bring an electron from the s sub shell to the hybrid orbital, the molecule that forms bonds will typically have a lower overall energy because of how hybridization allows for more bonds to form.

[sofiakavanaugh]

Hybridization occurs to lower the overall energy and to create more availability for bonds to occur, which often is necessary in cases like carbon where we know that four bonds will often form but the energy diagram tells us differently