[Hgrigsby]

Ok I am desperately trying to figure out this S orbital p orbital sp3 thing.  I understand How Carbon  is 1s2 2s2 2p3, however, I am trying to hook it up to H.  Ok So (excuse my crude words) is Carbon 2 spheres and 3 dumbells?  Is H one dumbell.  Is that what I am working with before I shove everything together?  I am somehow not getting the right shapes when I do it.

[Yggdrasil]

Ok I am desperately trying to figure out this S orbital p orbital sp3 thing.  I understand How Carbon  is 1s2 2s2 2p3, however, I am trying to hook it up to H.  Ok So (excuse my crude words) is Carbon 2 spheres and 3 dumbells?  Is H one dumbell.  Is that what I am working with before I shove everything together?  I am somehow not getting the right shapes when I do it.

Alone, carbon has two spherical s-orbitals and three dumbell-shaped p-orbitals.  Hydrogen alone has one spherical s-orbital.  When carbon forms bonds, however, the s- and p-orbitals combine to form four half-dumbell-shaped orbitals (sp³-orbitals).  Here's a picture of what methane (CH₄) would look like:

http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/hillchem3/medialib/media_portfolio/text_images/CH10/FG10_13.JPG

[Hgrigsby]

AHA!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!