Use your knowledge of valence electrons and how they affect bonds to figure out how carbon (Group 14) and oxygen (Group 16) would be attached to one another. In carbon dioxide (CO2), how is the compound structured? (Use “–” to represent a single bond and “=” to represent a double bond.)(1 point)

Question

Responses

C–O–O
C–O–O

O=C=O
O=C=O

O=C–O
O=C–O

C=O–O

Answer 1

In carbon dioxide (CO2), the structure is represented as O=C=O.

Here's the reasoning:

• Carbon has 4 valence electrons and needs 4 more to complete its octet.
• Oxygen has 6 valence electrons and needs 2 more to complete its octet.
• To satisfy the octet for both carbon and oxygen, carbon forms double bonds with each oxygen atom.

Therefore, the correct structure is O=C=O.