Electron Dot Structure of Carbon Dioxide

To understand the electron dot structure of carbon dioxide (CO2), we need to consider the valence electrons of each atom involved. Carbon (C) has an atomic number of 6, which means it has 4 valence electrons. Oxygen (O) has an atomic number of 8, with 6 valence electrons. Since there are two oxygen atoms in carbon dioxide, the total number of valence electrons is 4 + 2(6) = 16.

Step 1: Determine the Central Atom
In carbon dioxide, the carbon atom is the central atom, surrounded by two oxygen atoms. The central atom is usually the least electronegative element, and in this case, carbon is less electronegative than oxygen.

Step 2: Place the Valence Electrons
To represent the valence electrons in the electron dot structure, we use dots around the symbol of each atom. Each dot represents one valence electron.

- Start by placing a single dot next to the symbol of the central atom (C). This dot represents one valence electron of carbon.
- Place two dots next to each symbol of the surrounding oxygen atoms (O). These dots represent their 6 valence electrons each.

Step 3: Connect the Atoms with Electron Pairs
Next, we need to connect the atoms using electron pairs, which represent shared electrons in a covalent bond. Carbon can form four covalent bonds, and oxygen can form two covalent bonds.

- Connect the central carbon atom to each surrounding oxygen atom by drawing a line between them, representing a covalent bond. Each line represents two shared electrons.
- After connecting the central carbon atom to the surrounding oxygen atoms, there should be two lone pairs of electrons remaining on each oxygen atom. Represent these lone pairs as two dots on each oxygen atom.

Step 4: Finalize the Structure
To complete the electron dot structure, count the total number of valence electrons used in the structure. In this case, we have used 16 valence electrons, which is the total number available for carbon dioxide.

The final electron dot structure of carbon dioxide (CO2) is:

O
||
C = O
||

Summary:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) consists of a central carbon atom surrounded by two oxygen atoms.
- Carbon has 4 valence electrons, and each oxygen atom has 6 valence electrons.
- The total number of valence electrons in CO2 is 16.
- The electron dot structure represents valence electrons as dots around the symbol of each atom.
- Covalent bonds are represented by lines between atoms, with each line representing two shared electrons.
- The final structure of CO2 shows the central carbon atom connected to two oxygen atoms, with two lone pairs of electrons on each oxygen atom.