Hybridization of Oxygen in Formaldehyde: Exploring the Orbitals and Bonds

[τheory]

This isn't a homework problem, but rather a question that I thought about. Given a Formaldehyde [itex]CH_{2}O[/itex] molecule, what would the hybridization of the oxygen atom be?

I know that the hybridization of the carbon atom would be:

[itex]C = \frac{\uparrow}{2sp^{2}} \frac{\uparrow}{2sp^{2}} \frac{\uparrow}{2sp^{2}} \frac{\uparrow}{2p}[/itex]

I also know that given the double bond between carbon and oxygen, a sigma bond and pi bond will be required. As thus, this is what made me think about the configuration of oxygen's orbitals. If oxygen only makes 2 bonds, then what does that imply about its hybridization? Is it sp hybridization? Does it even hybridize?

[itex]O = \frac{\uparrow\downarrow}{2sp} \frac{\uparrow\downarrow}{2sp} \frac{\uparrow}{2p} \frac{\uparrow}{2p}[/itex]

 

[AGNuke]

Hybridization of Oxygen is sp². You know that the no of valence electrons in Oxygen atom is 6.

One is used to make a sigma bond. (1) Two are lone pairs (1 + 1 = 2) and one is used for pi bond. Total hybrid orbitals required = 3. And sp² has 3 hybrid orbitals.