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ASK TA: WHY IS LEWIS STRUCTURE FOR CO IN PLP HAVE A TRIPLE BOND BUT ONLINE IT HAS A DOUBLE BOND

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Final answer:

The Lewis structure for CO has a triple bond between carbon and oxygen, allowing them to share 6 electrons. The online structure may show a double bond for simplicity, but the triple bond is more accurate.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the Lewis structure for CO, the carbon atom forms a triple bond with the oxygen atom, while in the online structure it forms a double bond. The difference in the structures arises from the different ways in which the electrons are distributed between the carbon and oxygen atoms.

In the Lewis structure, carbon is able to form a triple bond with oxygen because both carbon and oxygen have the ability to accommodate more than 8 valence electrons due to their empty d orbitals. This allows carbon to share a total of 6 electrons with oxygen, resulting in a triple bond.

However, the online structure showing a double bond may be due to simplifications made for the sake of clarity or ease of representation. In reality, the triple bond is more accurate.

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