Chapter 16: Problem 1

How were the number of electrons in the possible Lewis structures of \(\mathrm{CO}_{2}\) calculated?

Short Answer

Expert verified

In the Lewis structure of \(\mathrm{CO}_{2}\), there are 16 electrons in total which are distributed accordingly to satisfy the Octet Rule for all atoms - Carbon (C) and Oxygen (O). This number was calculated by adding up the valence electrons: 4 from Carbon and 6 from each Oxygen atom.

Step by step solution

Identifying the total number of valence electrons

First, calculate the total number of valence electrons in the given molecule, \(\mathrm{CO}_{2}\). Know that Carbon (C) has 4 valence electrons and Oxygen (O) has 6. But since there are two Oxygen atoms in the molecule, multiply 6 by 2. So, the total number of valence electrons is 4 (from Carbon) + 12 (from 2 Oxygen atoms) = 16.

Distributing the electrons

In a Lewis structure, start placing the electrons from the outside atoms. First, satisfy the Octet Rule for the Oxygen atoms by placing 8 electrons on each (6 are required for an octet, but 2 have already been accounted for by the bonding shared with Carbon). You've used 16 electrons up to this point.

Verifying the Octet Rule

Check the Octet Rule for all atoms. Carbon should also have 8 electrons (4 its own, and 4 from the bonds with Oxygen). Both Oxygen atoms already meet the Octet Rule, as they each have 8 electrons. Therefore, the Lewis structure is correct.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

How were the number of electrons in the possible Lewis structures of \(\mathrm{CO}_{2}\) calculated?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Identifying the total number of valence electrons

Distributing the electrons

Verifying the Octet Rule

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Nuclear Chemistry

Chemistry Branches

Chemical Analysis

Chemical Reactions

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Physical Chemistry

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.