Hybrid Orbitals

This page supplements the text discussion of hybrid atomic orbitals starting on page 543.

The left-hand graphs show the atomic orbitals (s, p_x, p_y and/or p_z) that are used to build the hybrids shown in the right-hand graphs. The s orbital is colored green, and the p orbitals are colored blue and red according to their algebraic sign. Blue regins are positive and red regions are negative. (This is the same color code used on the H Atom Angular Wavefunctions page.)

The only variable you should change is "zoom." Set zoom to any non-zero number to zoom the graphs out and spread the individual orbitals apart a bit so that you can see them individually. With zoom = 0, all the orbitals are graphed around a common coordinate origin.

The two sp hybrids are shown first, with light blue coding the positive regions and yellow coding the negative regions. Next are the three sp² hybrids followed by the three sp³ hybrids.

Grab these graphs and spin them around to see their spatial relationships more clearly.

Back to H3 molecular orbitals. Ahead to diatomic vibration-rotation spectra. Back to the Index.   Copyright 1999, 2000 John S. Winn. All rights reserved. Last updated September 8, 2000.