I keep getting “Hybridization” questions wrong in Chemical Bonding & Molecular Structure. What's the trap?
predicting geometry without counting lone pairs in the hybridization.
The usual trap: predicting geometry without counting lone pairs in the hybridization. How to avoid it: sp³ → tetrahedral, sp² → trigonal planar, sp → linear. Go back to the definition — atomic orbitals mix to form equivalent hybrid orbitals (sp, sp², sp³) that set the geometry.
Key point
Hybridization
Common mistake
predicting geometry without counting lone pairs in the hybridization.
Memory tip
sp³ → tetrahedral, sp² → trigonal planar, sp → linear.
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