If one s orbital and two p orbitals combine to form a new set of hybrid orbitals what is the result?

Question

a) 2 sp hybrid orbitals

b) 1 sp hybrid orbitals

c) 2 sp^2 hybrid orbitals

d) 3 sp ^2 hybrid orbitals

e) 1 sp^2 hybrid orbitals

the answer is d 3 sp ^2 hybrid orbitals, but why please explain will give 5 pts to best answer

Answer 1

Whenever a number of orbitals combine, the result must be the same number of orbitals. This automatically rules out a, b, c, and e. So at this point you already know the answer has to be d.

As for the sp2 part, since you have _one_ s orbital and _two_ p orbitals, it is fairly obvious that it should be sp2. Similarly, sp means one s orbital + one p orbital; sp3 means one s orbital and three p orbitals, etc. (sp3d, sp3d2, sp3d3)