Question

Order of size of $sp,s{p}^2$ and $s{p}^3$ orbitals is

• A. $s{p}^3<s{p}^2<sp$
• B. $sp<s{p}^2<s{p}^3$
• C. $s{p}^2<sp<s{p}^3$
• D. $s{p}^2<s{p}^3<sp$

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

The percentage of s-character in $s{p}^3,s{p}^2$ and $sp$ is $25\%,33\%$ and $50\%$ respectively. Order of size of orbitals is $sp<s{p}^2<s{p}^3$.