[Jetkind]

So I'm taking honors chemistry, and we learned about how atoms will hybridize their orbitals to form sp, sp^2, sp^3, and so on, but i had a question my teacher didn't answer very well. If atoms can simply make 6 orbitals into 3 or four, why don't all atoms just automatically hybridize to achieve full hybridized sub levels? For example, why wouldn't an oxygen atom just become sp^2 hybridized so all of its orbitals would be filled? If atoms can do this, they all atoms with an even number of valance electron would be as non-active as the nobel gasses, correct?

[UG]

If atoms can simply make 6 orbitals into 3 or four, why don't all atoms just automatically hybridize to achieve full hybridized sub levels?

Not sure what you mean by make 6 orbitals into 3 or 4... the number of orbitals shouldn't change with hybridisation

[Jetkind]

If atoms can simply make 6 orbitals into 3 or four, why don't all atoms just automatically hybridize to achieve full hybridized sub levels?

Not sure what you mean by make 6 orbitals into 3 or 4... the number of orbitals shouldn't change with hybridisation

For example a Carbon atom has 4 valance orbitals, One  2s², and Three 2p⁶ orbitals (I think). When it is sp²hybridized, it will instead have 3 sp³ orbitals.

[Dan]

For example a Carbon atom has 4 valance orbitals, One  2s², and Three 2p⁶ orbitals (I think). When it is sp²hybridized, it will instead have 3 sp³ orbitals.

Woah there! sp⁶?

You start with one s orbital and three p orbitals. These can be mixed in different combinations, but the total is always four.

If you mix all three p with one s, you get four sp³
If you mix two of your three p with the one s, you get three sp² and one leftover p (still a total of four)
And so on.

[Jetkind]

Sorry bout that, typo, meant sp³