I am a chemistry student. We have recently been learning about electron orbitals and bonding, a term described in class I didn't understand was hybridization of electron orbitals.
Can you help me out and explain hybridization to me? I think it has something to do with the groups of the periodic table.
Yes, hybridization is a concept in chemistry related to the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals with different energies and shapes. The idea behind hybridization is to explain the bonding and geometry of molecules, particularly when it deviates from what is expected from the simple electron counting rule.

In molecular bonding, orbitals from adjacent atoms overlap to form chemical bonds, and the hybridization concept allows us to predict the arrangement of atoms in a molecule, their bonding pattern, and their molecular geometry.

Hybrid orbitals are formed by the combination of atomic orbitals of the same or different energy levels, for example, the sp3 hybridization is formed from the combination of one s orbital and three p orbitals, giving rise to four sp3 hybrid orbitals arranged tetrahedrally around the central atom in a molecule.

Different types of hybridization, such as sp, sp2, sp3, and so on, exist to explain different bonding patterns and molecular geometries, and a better understanding of hybridization helps in the prediction of chemical and physical properties of molecules.
Thank you very much! Could you create a mind map or at least a summary or a study guide about electron orbitals and bonding for my next test, so that I don't forget too much. Also are there interesting applications of this topic in real life?
Sure! Here's a summary of the key concepts related to electron orbitals and bonding:

Electron orbitals: Regions in space where electrons are most likely to be found around an atom's nucleus.

Hybrid orbitals: New orbitals formed from the combination of atomic orbitals.

Hybridization: The process of combining atomic orbitals to form hybrid orbitals.

Molecular bonding: The overlap of orbitals from adjacent atoms to form chemical bonds.

Bonding patterns and molecular geometry: Hybridization helps predict the arrangement of atoms in a molecule, their bonding pattern, and their molecular geometry.

Types of hybridization: Different hybridization types (e.g. sp, sp2, sp3) explain different bonding patterns and molecular geometries.

Real-life applications: A better understanding of electron orbitals and bonding helps predict chemical and physical properties of molecules, which has numerous practical applications in fields such as medicine, materials science, and biochemistry.

Here's a mind map to help visualize the concepts:

Electron orbitals and bonding

Electron orbitals
Hybrid orbitals
Hybridization
Molecular bonding
Bonding patterns and molecular geometry
Types of hybridization (sp, sp2, sp3, etc.)
Real-life applications (medicine, materials science, biochemistry, etc.)
I hope this helps! Let me know if you need anything else.