What is meant by hybridization. Use carbon as an example to explain.
Answer: The bringing of orbitals together to form a new type of orbital. This has to happen around an atom before it can bond with another atom. All atoms have different types of orbitals for their bonding (valence) electrons eg. Carbon has 1 in the s and 3 in the p (total 4). The s will have a different energy level from the p's and this is NOT OK to allow carbon to bond (all electrons must have same energy level). So by rearrangings (hybridizing) its orbital, carbon forms 4 sp3 ones which will have the same level of energy and thus allow it to bond with other atoms.