Question

What best describes the bonding in a carbon dioxide molecule?

a. Carbon transfers two electrons to each of the two oxygen atoms.

b. Carbon shares 2 pairs of electrons with each oxygen.

c. Carbon shares a pair of
electrons with each oxygen atom.

d. Carbon receives two electrons from each of the two oxygen atoms.

Answer 1

B. Carbon shares 2 pair of electrons with each oxygen.

Step-by-step explanation:

• Carbon dioxide is formed from combustion reactions, which involves a reaction between carbon and oxygen gas.

• Carbon dioxide molecule is formed from one carbon atom and two oxygens. As an element, carbon only has 4 outer shell electrons and oxygen 6.

• The two atoms require to gain electrons to achieve a stable configuration; carbon require to gain four electrons and oxygen requires two electrons.

• Double covalent bonds form between the atoms, where two electrons from each atom are shared making 4 bonding electrons in total.

Hope it helped!