Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of carbon tetraiodide (CI_4)?
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11. Bonding & Molecular Structure
Lewis Dot Structures: Neutral Compounds
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After drawing the Lewis structure of CO2, what is the ideal bond angle around the central carbon atom?
A
180°
B
109.5°
C
120°
D
90°
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the central atom in the molecule CO2, which is carbon (C).
Draw the Lewis structure of CO2: carbon forms double bonds with each oxygen atom, resulting in a linear arrangement.
Determine the electron domain geometry around the central carbon atom by counting regions of electron density (bonding pairs and lone pairs). In CO2, there are two regions of electron density (two double bonds) and no lone pairs on carbon.
Use the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory to predict the molecular geometry. Two regions of electron density without lone pairs arrange themselves to minimize repulsion, which leads to a linear shape.
Recall that a linear molecular geometry corresponds to an ideal bond angle of 180°, which is the bond angle around the central carbon atom in CO2.
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