Which of the following has a tetrahedral shape due to hybridization?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following has a tetrahedral shape due to hybridization?
NH3
H2O
CH4
BF3
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following has a tetrahedral shape due to hybridization?
Step 1: Understand what a tetrahedral shape is. It means that the molecule has four bonds arranged around a central atom, forming a three-dimensional shape like a pyramid with a triangular base.
Step 2: Identify the central atom in the molecule. In CH4 (methane), the central atom is carbon.
Step 3: Learn about hybridization. Hybridization is a process where atomic orbitals mix to form new hybrid orbitals.
Step 4: Determine the type of hybridization for carbon in CH4. Carbon has four valence electrons and forms four bonds with hydrogen atoms.
Step 5: Recognize that in CH4, carbon undergoes sp3 hybridization. This means one s orbital and three p orbitals combine to create four equivalent sp3 hybrid orbitals.
Step 6: Conclude that the arrangement of these four sp3 hybrid orbitals around the carbon atom leads to a tetrahedral shape.