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τheory
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This isn't a homework problem, but rather a question that I thought about. Given a Formaldehyde CH_{2}O molecule, what would the hybridization of the oxygen atom be?
I know that the hybridization of the carbon atom would be:
C = \frac{\uparrow}{2sp^{2}} \frac{\uparrow}{2sp^{2}} \frac{\uparrow}{2sp^{2}} \frac{\uparrow}{2p}
I also know that given the double bond between carbon and oxygen, a sigma bond and pi bond will be required. As thus, this is what made me think about the configuration of oxygen's orbitals. If oxygen only makes 2 bonds, then what does that imply about its hybridization? Is it sp hybridization? Does it even hybridize?
O = \frac{\uparrow\downarrow}{2sp} \frac{\uparrow\downarrow}{2sp} \frac{\uparrow}{2p} \frac{\uparrow}{2p}
I know that the hybridization of the carbon atom would be:
C = \frac{\uparrow}{2sp^{2}} \frac{\uparrow}{2sp^{2}} \frac{\uparrow}{2sp^{2}} \frac{\uparrow}{2p}
I also know that given the double bond between carbon and oxygen, a sigma bond and pi bond will be required. As thus, this is what made me think about the configuration of oxygen's orbitals. If oxygen only makes 2 bonds, then what does that imply about its hybridization? Is it sp hybridization? Does it even hybridize?
O = \frac{\uparrow\downarrow}{2sp} \frac{\uparrow\downarrow}{2sp} \frac{\uparrow}{2p} \frac{\uparrow}{2p}