Question

What is the Lewis structure of CO2?

Answer 1

Well, we got `underbrace(2xx6_"oxygen valence electrons"+4_"carbon valence electrons")_"16 electrons to be distributed over THREE centres"`

Explanation:

And the standard Lewis structure is...

`:ddotO=C=ddotO:`

...which distributes 16 electrons, AS REQUIRED....

Because there are TWO regions of electron density situated around the central carbon, carbon dioxide is LINEAR with `/_O-C-O=180^@`...