Question #497fa

1 Answer

Yes, you got a couple of them wrong. Here's how they should be labeled

Hybridization is all about regions of electron density that surround an atom - this is referred to as steric number. In carbon's case, these regions of electron density will be bonds, single or double.

In oxygen's case, however, you'll also have lone pairs present, which, as you can see, are not depicted on the structure. The same goes for nitrogen.

For example, an atom that has a steric number equal to 4 will be sp3 hybridized - 4 regions or electron density, 4 (1one s and three p) hybrid orbitals.

Starting from the left side of the molecule

  • Oxygen - it's bonded to two atoms and has 2 lone pairs SN = 4 sp3 hybridized;

  • Carbon - it's bonded to one ogyxen via a single bond, to another oxygen via a double bond, and to another carbon SN = 3 sp2 hybridized;

  • Carbon - bonded to two hydrogens, another carbon, and a nitrogen SN = 4 sp3 hybridized;

  • Nitrogen - bonded to a carbon, two hydrogens, and has 1 lone pair present SN = 4 sp3 hybridized;

  • Carbon - bonded to two other carbons and two hydrogens SN = 4 sp3 hybridized;

  • Carbon - identical to the first carbon we encountered SN = 3 sp2 hybridized;

  • Oxygen - identical to the first oxygen we encountered SN = 4 sp3 hybridized;

![http://chemistry.tutorvista.com/biochemistry/http://aspartic-acid.html](http://images.tutorvista.com/cms/images/101/hybridization-of-aspartic-acid.png)