Abstract
At variance with some opinions recently published as a commentary in this Journal, we show that the arguments used against the hybrid atomic orbital model are fundamentally wrong. In fact, the hybrid atomic orbital model correctly describes electron density and molecular properties in full agreement with experiment. The usefulness of this model is emphasized, and hints are suggested to teach it to students in the framework of the molecular orbital theory.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 575-577 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Journal of Chemical Education |
Volume | 89 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 10 Apr 2012 |
Keywords
- Covalent bonding
- First-year undergraduate/general
- Lewis structures
- Misconceptions/discrepant events
- MO theory
- Physical chemistry
- Quantum chemistry
- Upper-division undergraduate
- Valence bond theory
- VSEPR theory