Question

The valence atomic orbital on carbon in silver acetylide is ___________ hybridized.
A.$sp$
B.$s{p^2}$
C.$s{p^3}$
D.$s{p^3}d$

Answer 1

Hint:Orbital is a region in a three-dimensional space around the nucleus where the probability of finding an electron is maximum.
-It represents that an electron can move around the nucleus along with three-dimensional space.
s, p, and d orbitals are spherical, dumbbell, and a double dumbbell in shape respectively.
-It represents that position as well as the momentum of an electron cannot be known simultaneously with certainty which is per Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle.

Complete step by step answer:
-Silver acetylide is a salt of a weak acid, acetylene.
-The structure of silver acetylide is $A{g^ + }{\,^ - }C \equiv C\,\,A{g^ + }$.
-In silver acetylide carbon uses sp orbitals for its sigma- bonds and for pi- bonds it uses $2{p_x}$ and $2{p_y}$ atomic orbitals. Only the $2s$ and $2{p_z}$ orbitals are hybridized to form the two sp- hybridized atomic orbitals on carbon.
-Therefore, the carbon atom in the silver acetylide is $sp$ hybridized.
-Hence, the correct option is (A).

Note:
-Hybridization is the concept of intermixing of the orbitals of an atom having nearly the same energy to give exactly equivalent orbitals with the same energy, identical shapes, and symmetrical orientations in space.
-There are three different types of hybridization involved in the case of carbon.

-$s{p^3}$ (tetrahedral) hybridization- When one 2s-orbital and three 2p-orbitals of excited carbon get intermixed to form four hybrid orbitals then these hybrid orbitals are known as $s{p^3}$ hybrid orbitals. This phenomenon is called $s{p^3}$ hybridization.
-$s{p^2}$ (Trigonal) hybridization- When 2s-orbital and two p- orbitals $\left( {2{p_{x\,}}\,,\,2{p_y}} \right)$ of excited carbon atom gets intermixed to form three hybrid orbitals, then these orbitals are known as $s{p^2}$ hybrid orbitals. This phenomenon is known as $s{p^2}$ hybridization.
-$sp$ (Linear or diagonal) hybridization- When one 2s- orbital and one p-orbital $\left( {2{p_x}} \right)$ of the excited carbon atom get intermixed to give two hybrid orbitals, then these hybrid orbitals are known as $sp$ hybrid orbitals. This hybrid orbital is known as $sp$ hybridization.