How many unhybridized orbitals are there in ethyne molecule?
Correct answer: D. 4
- A. 1
- B. 2
- C. 3
- D. 4
Explanation
In the ethyne molecule (C2H2), each carbon atom is sp hybridized to form a triple bond between them. The triple bond consists of one sigma (σ) bond and two pi (π) bonds. The sp hybridization involves one s orbital and one p orbital of each carbon atom combining to form two sp hybrid orbitals. These two sp hybrid orbitals overlap with each other to form a sigma (σ) bond, while the remaining two p orbitals on each carbon atom remain unhybridized and form two pi (π) bonds. So, in the ethyne molecule (C2H2), there are four unhybridized p orbitals - two on each carbon atom. These p orbitals participate in the formation of the two pi (π) bonds in the triple bond between the carbon atoms.
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About Hybridization
Hybridization explains bonding by combining atomic orbitals to form equivalent hybrid orbitals with definite geometries. Coverage includes sp, sp², sp³, sp³d and sp³d² hybridization, their shapes and bond angles, and the relation of sigma and pi bonds to molecular structure.
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