Hybridization is a model which is used to explain the behavior of atomic orbitals during the formation of covalent bonds. When an atom forms a covalent bond with another atom, the orbitals of the atom become rearranged. This rearrangement results in the "mixing" of orbitals. Hybridization occurs when two or more atomic orbitals of similar energies on the same atom mix together to form new orbitals. The new orbitals that are formed are all of equal energies. The number of new hybrid orbitals that are produced is the same as the number of original orbitals present in the atom before the covalent bond was formed. This hybridization of atomic orbitals occurs due to the perturbation of the orbitals as two atoms approach each other. The resulting hybrid orbitals have a combination of the properties of the original atomic orbitals present in the atom before the covalent bond was...