The Lewis structure of N₂ indicates that the nitrogen-to-nitrogen bond is a triple covalent bond. Other evidence suggests that the σ bond in this molecule involves the overlap of sp hybrid orbitals.

(a) Draw orbital diagrams for the N atoms to describe bonding in N₂.

(b) Can this bonding be described by either sp² or sp³ hybridization of the N atoms? Can bonding in N₂ be described in terms of unhybridized orbitals? Explain.