In formaldehyde (CH₂O), the carbon atom shares four of its valence electrons with two hydrogen atoms and two valence electrons with one oxygen atom, forming two single C-H bonds and one double C=O bond, which consists of one sigma bond and one pi bond. Oxygen, with six valence electrons, uses two electrons to form the double bond with carbon, while retaining four lone pair electrons.
A chemical reaction produces formaldehyde, CH₂O. Carbon is in Group 14, oxygen is in Group 16, and hydrogen is in Group 1 on the periodic table. In one or two sentences, describe the bonds found in a molecule of formaldehyde in terms of valence electrons.
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