What type of hybridization is present in the carbon atoms of alkanes?
Practice Questions
Q1
What type of hybridization is present in the carbon atoms of alkanes?
sp
sp2
sp3
sp3d
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What type of hybridization is present in the carbon atoms of alkanes?
Correct Answer: sp3 hybridized
Step 1: Understand what alkanes are. Alkanes are a type of hydrocarbon that only contain single bonds between carbon atoms.
Step 2: Know that carbon has four valence electrons and can form four bonds.
Step 3: Learn about hybridization. Hybridization is the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals.
Step 4: In alkanes, each carbon atom forms four single bonds with other atoms (either carbon or hydrogen).
Step 5: Since each carbon forms four bonds, it uses sp3 hybridization, which means one s orbital and three p orbitals mix to create four equivalent sp3 hybrid orbitals.
Step 6: Conclude that the carbon atoms in alkanes are sp3 hybridized because they form four single bonds.
