Question

Identify the hybridization of the three carbon atoms located in the following molecule. PS - I get the first two carbons, but I am having a hard time understanding the third. (The correct answer is D) PLEASE HELP?!?

Answer 1

Explanation down below!!

Explanation:

The first two carbons form covalent bonds with 3 other atoms each. Looking at the diagram above, we can see that this would form a trigonal planar arrangement seeing that each of the carbons will be surrounded by 3 other atoms and therefore 3 regions of electron density.

If we look at the third carbon, it forms 4 bonds. One of the bonds is with carbon, and the other with the 3 hydrogens. Given that is forms four separate bods, the region of electron density will be tetrahedral and the hybridization will be `sp^3`

Hope this helped! :D