KCET2026ChemistryChemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
The types of hybrid orbitals of nitrogen in NO ₂^+, NO ₃^- and NH ₄^+ respectively are
Options
- Asp^3, sp and sp^2
- Bsp, sp^2 and sp^3
- Csp^2, sp and sp^3
- Dsp^2, sp^3 and sp
Correct answer
B. sp, sp^2 and sp^3
Step-by-step solution
The hybridization of the central atom can be determined using the formula for the steric number H = 1 2 (V + M - C + A) , where V is the number of valence electrons on the central atom, M is the number of monovalent surrounding atoms, C is the cationic charge, and A is the anionic charge. For NO ₂^+ : V = 5 , M = 0 (oxygen is divalent), C = 1 , A = 0 H = 1 2 (5 + 0 - 1 + 0) = 2 A steric number of 2 corresponds to sp hybridization. For NO ₃^- : V = 5 , M = 0 , C = 0 , A = 1 H = 1 2 (5 + 0 - 0 + 1) = 3 A steric numbe