Which of the following correctly describes a difference between the 2s and 3p orbitals compared to the 1s and 2p orbitals?

• A. 2s and 3p orbitals have higher principal quantum numbers and are larger in size than 1s and 2p orbitals.
• B. 2s and 3p orbitals have the same number of nodes as 1s and 2p orbitals.
• C. 2s and 3p orbitals have lower energy than 1s and 2p orbitals.
• D. 2s and 3p orbitals are always involved in sp hybridization, while 1s and 2p orbitals are not.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the principal quantum number (n) for each orbital: 1s has n=1, 2s and 2p have n=2, and 3p has n=3.
2. Recall that the size of an orbital generally increases with increasing principal quantum number n, so orbitals with higher n are larger.
3. Understand that the number of nodes in an orbital depends on n and the type of orbital (s, p, d, etc.), with the total number of nodes equal to n-1; thus, 2s and 3p orbitals have different numbers of nodes compared to 1s and 2p orbitals.
4. Remember that energy levels increase with principal quantum number and orbital type, so 2s and 3p orbitals generally have higher energy than 1s and 2p orbitals.
5. Note that sp hybridization involves mixing of s and p orbitals from the same principal energy level (usually n=2), so 2s and 3p orbitals are not always involved in sp hybridization, and 1s orbitals are not involved in hybridization at all.