Question

determine the hybridization around the circled atom in the lewis structure shown below.
answer:

Explanation:

Step1: Determine the steric number

The steric number is calculated as the sum of the number of bonded atoms and the number of lone pairs around the central atom. For the circled carbon atom, it is bonded to 3 atoms (two oxygen atoms and one other atom) and has 0 lone pairs. So, the steric number \(SN=3\).

Step2: Relate steric number to hybridization

• If \(SN = 2\), hybridization is \(sp\).
• If \(SN=3\), hybridization is \(sp^{2}\).
• If \(SN = 4\), hybridization is \(sp^{3}\).

Since \(SN = 3\) for the circled carbon atom, its hybridization is \(sp^{2}\).

Answer:

B. \(sp^{2}\)