Question

What is hybridization?
A.The mixing of two or more orbitals to form new orbitals that describe the covalent bonding in molecules
B.The mixing of electrons in the electrons in the electron sea model to account for the number of bonds in the molecule.
C.The mixing of two or more atomic orbitals to form new orbitals that describe the location of electrons in atoms
D.The mixing of two or more molecules
E.The mixing of two or more atoms to make a new compound or molecule.

Answer 1

Hint: We can say that it can be a mixing of two atomic orbitals with the same energy levels to give the degenerated new type of orbitals. This intermixing of the orbitals is based on quantum mechanics.

Complete Step by step answer: Hybridization can be defined as the redistribution of orbitals energy of individual atoms to give the orbitals of equivalent energy when two atomic orbitals combine to form hybrid orbitals in the molecule. Then, these newly obtained orbitals are known as hybrid orbitals. The orbitals having similar energy take part in the process of hybridization. Both full filled and half – filled orbitals can also take part in this process but they must have equal energy.
During this process, the atomic orbitals having similar energy are mixed together such as the mixing of two ‘s’ orbitals or two ‘p’ orbitals or mixing of the ‘s’ orbital with ‘p’ orbital or mixing of the ‘s’ orbital with the ‘d’ orbital.
Therefore, from the above given options the correct definition of hybridization is the mixing of two or more orbitals to form new orbitals that describe the covalent bonding in molecules.

Hence, the correct option is (A).

Note: The shape of the molecule can be predicted if hybridization of the molecule is known. The bigger lobe of the hybrid orbital always has a positive sign, while the smaller lobe on the opposite side has a negative sign.