Question

What is the Lewis structure of `CO_2`? How many lone-pairs on the carbon centre?

Answer 1

There are no lone pairs on carbon....

Explanation:

We gots `CO_2`, i.e. `2xx6+4=16*"valence electrons"` to distribute, 8 electron pairs...

`:stackrel(ddot)O=C=stackrel(ddot)O:`

...and the given Lewis structure distributes these as 4 lone pairs, oxygen based, and 4 bonding pairs....Ignoring the doubke bonds, there are 2 regions of electron density around carbon, so `/_O-C-O=180` `""^@`...

In carbon monoxide, there are formally one lone pair on carbon, and one on oxygen, and hence the formal charges...

`""^(-):C-=stackrel(+)O:`