Chemistry / Unit 6 Chem 1104 short lesson, about 20 seconds
sp³ Hybridization
Captions available
The idea
sp³ hybridization mixes one s and three p orbitals into four hybrid orbitals, oriented toward a tetrahedron's corners, matching four domains.
In practice
Carbon in methane is sp³ hybridized, its four hybrid orbitals each overlapping with one hydrogen 1s orbital.
Where people slip
A hybrid holding a lone pair, as in ammonia's nitrogen, still counts as one of the four sp³ hybrids.
Your place on the trail
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