Final answer:
Methanal (CH2O) has a double bond between carbon and oxygen involving one sigma and one pi bond, and single sigma bonds between carbon and hydrogen atoms, formed by the sharing of electrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a molecule of methanal (CH2O), there are specific types of bonds between the carbon (C), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H) atoms. The carbon atom is bonded to the oxygen atom through a double bond, which consists of one sigma (σ) bond and one pi (π) bond. This double bond is formed due to the sharing of four electrons between the carbon and oxygen atoms. The carbon atom uses its sp2 hybrid orbitals to overlap with the oxygen atom's p orbitals, creating a strong covalent bond.
Meanwhile, the carbon atom is also bonded to the two hydrogen atoms through single bonds, which are formed by the overlap of the sp2 hybrid orbitals of carbon with the 1s orbitals of the hydrogen atoms. These are also sigma bonds but involve the sharing of only two electrons for each bond, where the electrons are shared equally between the carbon and the hydrogen atoms. In summary, the methanal molecule showcases both double and single covalent bonding.