Question

Which of the following best describes the difference in bonding between two hydrogen atoms and two carbon atoms?

Answer 1

Answer :

2. Hydrogen forms bonds through the overlap of 1s atomic orbitals and the sharing of electrons between atoms. Carbon forms bonds through the overlapping of sp hybrid atomic orbitals and the sharing of electrons between carbon atoms.

Explanation:

The H-H bond is formed by the overlap of two 1s orbitals and the sharing of electrons between the two atoms.

A carbon atom must use the overlap of hybridized atomic orbitals and the sharing of electrons to bond with another carbon atoms.

1. is wrong because H can use only its 1s orbital for bonding.

3. is wrong because C must share electrons to form a carbon-carbon bond.

4. is wrong because C does NOT use overlapping of 2s orbitals for bonding. It uses the overlap of hybridized orbitals.

5. is wrong because H must share electrons to form an H-H bond.