Question

An atom in a molecule has two bonds to other atoms and one lone pair. What kind of hybrid orbitals do you expect for this atom?

Answer 1

Hybridization was introduced to explain molecular structure when the valence bond theory failed to correctly predict them. It is experimentally observed that bond angles in organic compounds are close to 109o, 120o, or 180o. According to Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory, electron pairs repel each other and the bonds and lone pairs around a central atom are generally separated by the largest possible angles.