Numford
Hybridisation

Hybridisation of HCl

Cl is sp³ hybridised (hybridization by the VSEPR count): 1 sigma bond and 3 lone pairs give a linear shape.

HCl
  • Cl
  • H

HClHydrogen chloride

Linear

Cl: 1 sigma bond, 3 lone pairs

i

Two atoms always lie on a line. Many books describe the H-Cl bond as an overlap of the H 1s and a Cl 3p orbital without hybridisation.

  • Hybridisationsp³
  • Polaritypolar

Why this shape

  1. Cl has 7 valence electrons. It uses one in one single bond to H, so six are left as three lone pairs.
  2. Steric number = one sigma bond + three lone pairs = 4, so Cl is sp³ hybridised.
  3. Four electron pairs point to the corners of a tetrahedron (tetrahedral electron geometry). With only two atoms, the molecule itself is a straight line.
  4. Two atoms always lie on a straight line, so there is no bond angle.
  5. The two atoms are different, so the bond is polar and so is HCl.

Lewis structure

8 valence electrons
ClH

Formal charges: none

Working

Why this hybridisation and shape

  1. Cl has 7 valence electrons. It uses one in one single bond to H, so six are left as three lone pairs.
  2. Steric number = one sigma bond + three lone pairs = 4, so Cl is sp³ hybridised.
  3. Four electron pairs point to the corners of a tetrahedron (tetrahedral electron geometry). With only two atoms, the molecule itself is a straight line.
  4. Two atoms always lie on a straight line, so there is no bond angle.
  5. The two atoms are different, so the bond is polar and so is HCl.

Class 11, Chapter 4 Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure.

Questions

Hybridisation of HCl: quick answers

What is the hybridisation of HCl?

Cl has 7 valence electrons. It uses one in one single bond to H, so six are left as three lone pairs. Steric number = one sigma bond + three lone pairs = 4, so Cl is sp³ hybridised.

What is the shape of HCl and its bond angle?

Linear. Four electron pairs point to the corners of a tetrahedron (tetrahedral electron geometry). With only two atoms, the molecule itself is a straight line. Two atoms always lie on a straight line, so there is no bond angle.

Is HCl polar or non-polar?

Polar. The two atoms are different, so the bond is polar and so is HCl.

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