Write the lewis dot structure of co molecule

write the lewis dot structure of co molecule

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Write the Lewis dot structure of CO molecule

Answer:
To draw the Lewis dot structure of the CO molecule, we need to follow a few steps:

  1. Determine the total number of valence electrons:

    • Carbon (C) is in group 4 of the periodic table, so it has 4 valence electrons.
    • Oxygen (O) is in group 6, so it has 6 valence electrons.
    • The total number of valence electrons in CO is 4 + 6 = 10.
  2. Determine the central atom: In CO, carbon (C) is the central atom since it is less electronegative than oxygen (O).

  3. Connect the atoms: Create a single bond between the central carbon atom and the oxygen atom.

  4. Distribute the remaining electrons: Place the remaining 2 valence electrons on the oxygen atom to complete its octet.

    • Carbon still has 6 valence electrons remaining.
  5. Place any remaining electrons on the central atom: Since carbon still needs 4 more electrons to complete its octet, we need to form a double bond between carbon and oxygen.

    • Move a lone pair of electrons from the oxygen atom to form a double bond between carbon and oxygen.
    • Carbon now has a full octet with 8 valence electrons.

The final Lewis dot structure of CO molecule:

   O
  ╱ 
C═O

In this structure, the carbon atom is double-bonded to the oxygen atom, and each atom has a full octet of valence electrons.

It’s important to note that Lewis dot structures represent the arrangement of valence electrons, not the actual shape of the molecule in 3D space.

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