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Why does sp mixing occur in boron, nitrogen, and oxygen but not in oxygen and fluorine?

User Brandy
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Final answer:

Sp mixing occurs in boron, nitrogen, and oxygen due to the similar energies of the s and p orbitals, allowing them to form multiple bonds. However, oxygen and fluorine have a significant energy difference between their orbitals, resulting in negligible s-p mixing and no sp hybridization.

Step-by-step explanation:

The phenomenon of sp mixing occurs in boron, nitrogen, and oxygen due to the similar energies of the s and p orbitals. This mixing of orbitals results in the formation of hybrid orbitals, which allows these elements to form multiple bonds. On the other hand, oxygen and fluorine have a significant energy difference between their 2s and 2p orbitals, which leads to negligible s-p mixing. As a result, oxygen and fluorine do not exhibit sp hybridization.

User Ordoshsen
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