Correct arrangement of orbital according to size of hybridized orbitals?

  • A. sp > sp2 > sp3
  • B. sp3 > sp > sp2
  • C. sp2 > sp > sp3
  • D. sp3 > sp2 > sp

Explanation

The greater the s character, the closer the orbital is held to the nucleus and the smaller it is, and s character rises from 25 per cent in sp3 through 33 per cent in sp2 to 50 per cent in sp. So sp3 is the largest and sp the smallest. The same trend explains why an sp carbon holds its bonding electrons most tightly, making terminal alkynes weakly acidic.

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