Final answer:
The student is asked to draw the molecule of methanal, a simple aldehyde with the formula CH2O, featuring a central carbon atom double-bonded to oxygen and single-bonded to two hydrogens.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks to draw the molecule of methanal, which is also known as formaldehyde. Methanal is the simplest aldehyde with the molecular formula CH2O. It consists of one carbon atom (C) double-bonded to an oxygen atom (O) and two hydrogen atoms (H) bonded to the carbon atom. In the Lewis structure, the carbon atom is in the center with a double bond to oxygen and single bonds to each hydrogen. The condensed formula for methanal is HCHO, and in skeletal formula representation, the carbon atom is depicted as the central point with a double line to an oxygen atom and single lines to two hydrogen atoms. The structural formula highlights the connections between atoms with the double bond between carbon and oxygen being particularly crucial to the molecule's properties.