Hybrid Atomic Orbitals Quiz
The question sheet
Reveal any answer as you study-
Valence bond theory using only 2p orbitals predicts what O-H bond angle in water?
- 120°
- 90°
- 104.5°
- 109.5°
Reveal answer
Answer: 90°
Source evidence
PDF page 426: two hydrogen atoms. Oxygen has the electron configuration 1s 2s 2p , with two unpaired electrons (one in each of the two 2p orbitals). Valence bond theory would predict that the two O–H bonds form from the overlap of these two 2p orbitals with the 1s orbitals of the hydrogen atoms. If this were the case, the bond angle would be 90°, as shown in Figure 8.6, because p orbitals are perpendicular to each other. Experimental evidence shows that the bond angle is 104.5°, not 90°. The prediction of the valence bond theory model does not match the real-world observations of a water molecule; a different model is needed.
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What is the experimentally observed H-O-H bond angle in water?
- 107.3°
- 90°
- 120°
- 104.5°
Reveal answer
Answer: 104.5°
Source evidence
PDF page 426: two hydrogen atoms. Oxygen has the electron configuration 1s 2s 2p , with two unpaired electrons (one in each of the two 2p orbitals). Valence bond theory would predict that the two O–H bonds form from the overlap of these two 2p orbitals with the 1s orbitals of the hydrogen atoms. If this were the case, the bond angle would be 90°, as shown in Figure 8.6, because p orbitals are perpendicular to each other. Experimental evidence shows that the bond angle is 104.5°, not 90°. The prediction of the valence bond theory model does not match the real-world observations of a water molecule; a different model is needed.
PDF page 426: Quantum-mechanical calculations suggest why the observed bond angles in H2O differ from those predicted by the overlap of the 1s orbital of the hydrogen atoms with the 2p orbitals of the oxygen atom. The mathematical expression known as the wave function, ψ, contains information about each orbital and the wavelike properties of electrons in an isolated atom. When atoms are bound together in a molecule, the wave functions combine to produce new mathematical descriptions that have different shapes. This process of combining the wave functions for atomic orbitals is called hybridization and is mathematically accomplished by the linear combination of atomic orbitals, LCAO, (a technique that we will encounter again later). The new orbitals that result are called hybrid orbitals. The valence orbitals in an isolated oxygen atom are a 2s orbital and three 2p orbitals. The valence orbitals in an oxygen atom in a water molecule differ; they consist of four equivalent hybrid orbitals that point approximately toward the corners of a tetrahedron (Figure 8.7). Consequently, the overlap of the O and H orbitals should result in a tetrahedral bond angle (109.5°). The observed angle of 104.5° is experimental evidence for which quantummechanical calculations give a useful explanation: Valence bond theory must include a hybridization component to give accurate predictions.
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The process of combining wave functions for atomic orbitals is called:
- Delocalization
- Overlap
- Hybridization
- Resonance
Reveal answer
Answer: Hybridization
Source evidence
PDF page 426: Quantum-mechanical calculations suggest why the observed bond angles in H2O differ from those predicted by the overlap of the 1s orbital of the hydrogen atoms with the 2p orbitals of the oxygen atom. The mathematical expression known as the wave function, ψ, contains information about each orbital and the wavelike properties of electrons in an isolated atom. When atoms are bound together in a molecule, the wave functions combine to produce new mathematical descriptions that have different shapes. This process of combining the wave functions for atomic orbitals is called hybridization and is mathematically accomplished by the linear combination of atomic orbitals, LCAO, (a technique that we will encounter again later). The new orbitals that result are called hybrid orbitals. The valence orbitals in an isolated oxygen atom are a 2s orbital and three 2p orbitals. The valence orbitals in an oxygen atom in a water molecule differ; they consist of four equivalent hybrid orbitals that point approximately toward the corners of a tetrahedron (Figure 8.7). Consequently, the overlap of the O and H orbitals should result in a tetrahedral bond angle (109.5°). The observed angle of 104.5° is experimental evidence for which quantummechanical calculations give a useful explanation: Valence bond theory must include a hybridization component to give accurate predictions.
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Hybridization is mathematically accomplished by which technique?
- LCAO
- Bohr model
- VSEPR
- Rydberg equation
Reveal answer
Answer: LCAO
Source evidence
PDF page 426: Quantum-mechanical calculations suggest why the observed bond angles in H2O differ from those predicted by the overlap of the 1s orbital of the hydrogen atoms with the 2p orbitals of the oxygen atom. The mathematical expression known as the wave function, ψ, contains information about each orbital and the wavelike properties of electrons in an isolated atom. When atoms are bound together in a molecule, the wave functions combine to produce new mathematical descriptions that have different shapes. This process of combining the wave functions for atomic orbitals is called hybridization and is mathematically accomplished by the linear combination of atomic orbitals, LCAO, (a technique that we will encounter again later). The new orbitals that result are called hybrid orbitals. The valence orbitals in an isolated oxygen atom are a 2s orbital and three 2p orbitals. The valence orbitals in an oxygen atom in a water molecule differ; they consist of four equivalent hybrid orbitals that point approximately toward the corners of a tetrahedron (Figure 8.7). Consequently, the overlap of the O and H orbitals should result in a tetrahedral bond angle (109.5°). The observed angle of 104.5° is experimental evidence for which quantummechanical calculations give a useful explanation: Valence bond theory must include a hybridization component to give accurate predictions.
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The number of hybrid orbitals in a set equals the number of what?
- Lone pairs
- Regions of density
- Bonds formed
- Atomic orbitals combined
Reveal answer
Answer: Atomic orbitals combined
Source evidence
PDF page 427: 3. A set of hybrid orbitals is generated by combining atomic orbitals. The number of hybrid orbitals in a set is
PDF page 427: equal to the number of atomic orbitals that were combined to produce the set.
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The oxygen atom in water is described as having what hybridization?
- sp
- sp3
- sp3d
- sp2
Reveal answer
Answer: sp3
Source evidence
PDF page 433: of electrons. Thus we say that the oxygen atom is sp hybridized, with two of the hybrid orbitals occupied by lone pairs and two by bonding pairs. Since lone pairs occupy more space than bonding pairs, structures that contain lone pairs have bond angles slightly distorted from the ideal. Perfect tetrahedra have angles of 109.5°, but the observed
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What hybridization does the beryllium atom in BeCl2 exhibit?
- sp2
- sp3
- sp
- sp3d
Reveal answer
Answer: sp
Source evidence
PDF page 427: The beryllium atom in a gaseous BeCl2 molecule is an example of a central atom with no lone pairs of electrons in a linear arrangement of three atoms. There are two regions of valence electron density in the BeCl2 molecule that correspond to the two covalent Be–Cl bonds. To accommodate these two electron domains, two of the Be atom’s four valence orbitals will mix to yield two hybrid orbitals. This hybridization process involves mixing of the valence s orbital with one of the valence p orbitals to yield two equivalent sp hybrid orbitals that are oriented in a linear geometry (Figure 8.8). In this figure, the set of sp orbitals appears similar in shape to the original p orbital, but there is an important difference. The number of atomic orbitals combined always equals the number of hybrid orbitals formed. The p orbital is one orbital that can hold up to two electrons. The sp set is two equivalent orbitals that point 180° from each other. The two electrons that were originally in the s orbital are now distributed to the two sp orbitals, which are half filled. In gaseous BeCl2, these half-filled hybrid orbitals will overlap with orbitals from the chlorine atoms to form two identical σ bonds.
PDF page 429: hybridization. Other examples include the mercury atom in the linear HgCl2 molecule, the zinc atom in Zn(CH3)2, which contains a linear C–Zn–C arrangement, and the carbon atoms in HCCH and CO2.
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The two sp hybrid orbitals in BeCl2 are oriented at what angle?
- 109.5°
- 120°
- 180°
- 90°
Reveal answer
Answer: 180°
Source evidence
PDF page 427: The beryllium atom in a gaseous BeCl2 molecule is an example of a central atom with no lone pairs of electrons in a linear arrangement of three atoms. There are two regions of valence electron density in the BeCl2 molecule that correspond to the two covalent Be–Cl bonds. To accommodate these two electron domains, two of the Be atom’s four valence orbitals will mix to yield two hybrid orbitals. This hybridization process involves mixing of the valence s orbital with one of the valence p orbitals to yield two equivalent sp hybrid orbitals that are oriented in a linear geometry (Figure 8.8). In this figure, the set of sp orbitals appears similar in shape to the original p orbital, but there is an important difference. The number of atomic orbitals combined always equals the number of hybrid orbitals formed. The p orbital is one orbital that can hold up to two electrons. The sp set is two equivalent orbitals that point 180° from each other. The two electrons that were originally in the s orbital are now distributed to the two sp orbitals, which are half filled. In gaseous BeCl2, these half-filled hybrid orbitals will overlap with orbitals from the chlorine atoms to form two identical σ bonds.
PDF page 428: (yellow). Each hybrid orbital is oriented primarily in just one direction. Note that each sp orbital contains one lobe that is significantly larger than the other. The set of two sp orbitals are oriented at 180°, which is consistent with the geometry for two domains.
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An sp hybrid orbital set is formed by mixing an s orbital with how many p orbitals?
- Two
- One
- Three
- Four
Reveal answer
Answer: One
Source evidence
PDF page 427: The beryllium atom in a gaseous BeCl2 molecule is an example of a central atom with no lone pairs of electrons in a linear arrangement of three atoms. There are two regions of valence electron density in the BeCl2 molecule that correspond to the two covalent Be–Cl bonds. To accommodate these two electron domains, two of the Be atom’s four valence orbitals will mix to yield two hybrid orbitals. This hybridization process involves mixing of the valence s orbital with one of the valence p orbitals to yield two equivalent sp hybrid orbitals that are oriented in a linear geometry (Figure 8.8). In this figure, the set of sp orbitals appears similar in shape to the original p orbital, but there is an important difference. The number of atomic orbitals combined always equals the number of hybrid orbitals formed. The p orbital is one orbital that can hold up to two electrons. The sp set is two equivalent orbitals that point 180° from each other. The two electrons that were originally in the s orbital are now distributed to the two sp orbitals, which are half filled. In gaseous BeCl2, these half-filled hybrid orbitals will overlap with orbitals from the chlorine atoms to form two identical σ bonds.
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A central atom surrounded by three regions of electron density exhibits what hybridization?
- sp3
- sp2
- sp3d
- sp
Reveal answer
Answer: sp2
Source evidence
PDF page 429: The valence orbitals of a central atom surrounded by three regions of electron density consist of a set of three sp
PDF page 430: Any central atom surrounded by three regions of electron density will exhibit sp hybridization. This includes molecules with a lone pair on the central atom, such as ClNO (Figure 8.14), or molecules with two single bonds and a double bond connected to the central atom, as in formaldehyde, CH2O, and ethene, H2CCH2.
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Three sp2 hybrid orbitals are oriented at what angle to each other?
- 120°
- 90°
- 180°
- 109.5°
Reveal answer
Answer: 120°
Source evidence
PDF page 429: Figure 8.10 The hybridization of an s orbital (blue) and two p orbitals (red) produces three equivalent sp hybridized
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sp2 hybridization results from mixing one s orbital with how many p orbitals?
- One
- Four
- Three
- Two
Reveal answer
Answer: Two
Source evidence
PDF page 429: hybrid orbitals and one unhybridized p orbital. This arrangement results from sp hybridization, the mixing of one s orbital and two p orbitals to produce three identical hybrid orbitals oriented in a trigonal planar geometry (Figure 8.10).
Chemistry 2e
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