Barrons SAT Subject Test Chemistry, 13th Edition

The ground state of beryllium is:

To accommodate the experimental data, we theorize that a 2s

electron is excited to a 2p orbital; then the two orbitals hybridize

to yield two identical orbitals called sp orbitals. Each contains

one electron but is capable of holding two electrons.

2. sp^2 Hybrid Orbitals

Boron trifluoride, BF 3 , has bond angles of 120° of equal strength.

To accommodate these data, the boron atom hybridizes from its

ground state of 1s^22 s^22 p^1 to: