Skip to main content
Sign in Register
Question no. 14941

The carbonyl carbon atom found in aldehydes and ketones is ____________?

Select your answer for: The carbonyl carbon atom found in aldehydes and ketones is ____________?
Show answer

Answer: B. sp2 hybridised

Explanation

The carbonyl carbon atom in aldehydes and ketones forms a double bond with oxygen and two single bonds with other groups. VSEPR theory dictates that three regions of electron density around this carbon adopt a trigonal planar geometry. Hybridization models confirm that forming three sigma bonds requires sp2 hybridization of the central carbon atom. Carbonyl groups consist of a carbon-oxygen double bond that is highly polarized due to oxygen electronegativity. Trigonal planar molecular geometry results in bond angles of approximately 120 degrees around the central carbon. Unused p-orbital electrons on the carbon and oxygen atoms overlap sideways to form the secondary pi bond.

An sp3 hybridized carbon adopts a tetrahedral geometry with four single bonds, unlike the trigonal planar carbonyl carbon. An sp hybridized carbon forms linear geometries with triple bonds or two double bonds, which does not fit carbonyls. Claiming the carbon is unhybridized ignores the established quantum mechanical model of covalent bonding in organic molecules.

Subject
Chemistry
Category
Chemistry
Topic
—
Difficulty
medium

Related questions

Q1. Moving down a periodic group, ionic radius behaves how ?

Select your answer for: Moving down a periodic group, ionic radius behaves how ?
Show answer

Answer: A. Increases

Moving down a periodic group, new electron shells are successively added to the atomic structure. These additional principal energy levels place outer electrons farther away from the positively charged atomic nucleus. Co...

Q2. Across a period from left to right, electronegativity_________________?

Select your answer for: Across a period from left to right, electronegativity_________________?
Show answer

Answer: A. Increases

Across a period from left to right, electronegativity increases due to a growing effective nuclear charge. A higher number of protons pulls bonding electrons more strongly toward the nucleus across the period. Decreasing...

Q3. Heat changes accompanying physical or chemical transformations at constant pressure are designated as__________________?

Select your answer for: Heat changes accompanying physical or chemical transformations at constant pressure are designated as__________________?
Show answer

Answer: C. Enthalpy change

Enthalpy change is formally defined as the heat absorbed or released during physical or chemical processes at constant pressure. Most laboratory and industrial reactions occur under constant atmospheric pressure conditio...

Q4. Electrical current flows through an electrolytic cell in a manner where ?

Select your answer for: Electrical current flows through an electrolytic cell in a manner where ?
Show answer

Answer: B. From anode to cathode outside the cell

In the external circuit of an electrochemical cell, electrons and electrical current flow away from the anode. Electrical current travels continuously through external wires from the negative anode toward the positive ca...

Q5. Plotting temperature on the x-axis versus volume on the y-axis for 1 mole of an ideal gas yields a straight line intercepting the temperature axis at________________?

Select your answer for: Plotting temperature on the x-axis versus volume on the y-axis for 1 mole of an ideal gas yields a straight line intercepting the temperature axis at________________?
Show answer

Answer: D. ?273.16?C

Plotting temperature on the horizontal axis versus volume on the vertical axis yields a straight line. Extrapolating this linear relationship of an ideal gas to zero volume reveals the temperature intercept. This theoret...

Q6. In base-catalyzed carbonyl reactions, the catalyst functions by___________________?

Select your answer for: In base-catalyzed carbonyl reactions, the catalyst functions by___________________?
Show answer

Answer: A. increases the nucleophilic character of reagent

In base-catalyzed carbonyl reactions, the catalyst functions by deprotonating weak nucleophiles to form stronger charged species. Deprotonation significantly increases the nucleophilic character of the reagent attacking...