Question

What is the hybridization of each carbon in this molecule?

Answer 1

It is `sp^3 and sp^2`

Explanation:

This is because the first carbon has formed four bonds. So as you can see from the picture one electron from 2s orbital moves to the empty 2pz orbital. The 2s and the three 2p orbitals hybridise together and each orbital will be completed by adding one more electron from sharing with N, H, H, and the other C.

While the second carbon is `sp^2` because it forms a double bond with oxygen. In `sp^2` hybridisation the 2s orbital hybridises with only two 2p orbitals leaving the other 2p orbital unhybridised. The orbitals in `sp^2` with be completed with one more electron each by sharing covalently with the C, O and the other O.

The unhybridised p orbital will be completed with the other sharing electron of the oxygen. This with form the `pi` bond in the carbon-oxygen double bond.