Question

How many lobes does a single sp3 hybrid orbital have?

Answer 1

A single `sp^3` orbital has two lobes.

Explanation:

An `sp^3` orbital has both `s` character and `p` character.

Thus, like an `s` orbital, it has a lobe that resembles a sphere.

And, like a `p` orbital, it has 2 lobes and a nodal surface.

(From saylordotorg.github.io)

The big lobe (blue) is nearly spherical and represents the `s` character of the orbital.

The smaller lobe (yellow) and the nodal surface represent the `p` character of the orbital.

We usually draw the big lobe with a teardrop shape for convenience, but it is really much fatter than a teardrop.