Question

1. what is the vsepr molecular shape of carbon dioxide? support your answer with a lewis structure below.

Explanation:

Carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)) has a central carbon atom. Carbon has 4 valence electrons. Each oxygen atom has 6 valence electrons. The Lewis structure of \(CO_2\) is \(O = C = O\). According to VSEPR theory, the electron - pair geometry and molecular geometry of \(CO_2\) are determined by the number of bonding pairs and lone pairs around the central atom. In \(CO_2\), the central carbon atom has 2 bonding pairs (with two oxygen atoms) and 0 lone pairs. The VSEPR formula for \(CO_2\) is \(AX_2\) (where \(A\) is the central atom, \(X\) is the surrounding atom). For \(AX_2\) type molecules, the molecular shape is linear.

Answer:

The VSEPR molecular shape of carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)) is linear. The Lewis structure is \(O = C = O\).