Organic structure and bonding

Question 1

s-orbitals

Answer 1

• spherical

- lower in energy than other orbitals in the same shell

Question 2

p-orbital

Answer 2

• dumb-bell shape
• nodal plane passes through nucleus
• higher in energy than s-orbitals
• three p-orbitals in the same shell

Question 3

bonding in organic molecules

Answer 3

uses linear combination of atomic orbitals
- orbitals combine to form hybrid atomic orbitals (sp, sp^2, sp^3) and molecular orbitals
hybrid atomic orbital
- combination of atomic, or hybrid atomic, orbitals from different atoms

Question 4

properties of hybrid orbitals

Answer 4

• the more s-character in an orbital the lower the energy - increased stability of an electron in that orbital
• holds electrons closer to the nucleus
  the bonds becomes shorter therefore stronger
• more directional, so they have more effective bonding interactions