Carbon dioxide(CO2) has the composition of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. What is the molecular geometry of carbon dioxide?. Drawing and predicting the CO2 molecular geometry is very easy by following the given method. Here in this post, we described step by step to construct CO2 molecular geometry. Oxygen and carbon come from the 16th and 14th family groups in the periodic table. Oxygen and carbon have six and four valence electrons respectively.
Key Points To Consider When drawing The CO2 Molecular Geometry
A three-step approach for drawing the CO2 molecular can be used. The first step is to sketch the molecular geometry of the CO2 molecule, to calculate the lone pairs of the electrons in the central carbon and terminal oxygen atoms; the second step is to calculate the CO2 hybridization, and the third step is to give perfect notation for the CO2 molecular geometry.
The CO2 molecular geometry is a diagram that illustrates the number of valence electrons and bond electron pairs in the CO2 molecule in a specific geometric manner. The geometry of the CO2 molecule can then be predicted using the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory (VSEPR Theory) and molecular hybridization theory, which states that molecules will choose the CO2 geometrical shape in which the electrons have from one another in the specific molecular structure.
Finally, you must add their bond polarities characteristics to compute the strength of the two C-O double bonds (dipole moment properties of the CO2 molecular geometry). Two oxygen-carbon double bonds in the carbon dioxide(CO2), for example, are polarised toward the slightly high electronegative value oxygen atoms, and because all two C-O double bonds have the same size and polarity, their sum is zero due to the CO2 molecule’s bond dipole moment due to pulling the electron cloud to the two side of linear geometry, and the CO2 molecule is classified as a nonpolar molecule.
The molecule of carbon dioxide(with linear shape CO2 molecular geometry) is tilted at 180 degree bond angle of O-C-O. It has a difference in electronegativity values between oxygen and carbon atoms, with oxygen’s pull the electron cloud being higher than carbon’s. But bond polarity of C-O is canceled to each other in the linear geometry. As a result, it has a zero permanent dipole moment in its molecular structure. The CO2 molecule has a nonzero dipole moment due to an equal charge distribution of negative and positive charges in the linear geometry.
Overview: CO2 electron and molecular geometry
According to the VSEPR theory, the CO2 molecule possesses linear molecular geometry. Because the center atom, carbon, has two C-O double bonds with the two oxygen atoms surrounding it. The O-C-O bond angle is 180 degrees in the linear CO2 molecular geometry. The CO2 molecule has a linear geometry shape because it contains two oxygen atoms in the linear form and two corners with no lone pairs of electrons on central carbon atom.
There are two C-O double bonds at the CO2 molecular geometry. After linking the two oxygen atoms and no lone pairs of electrons on the carbon atom in the linear form, it maintains the linear-shaped structure. In the CO2 molecular geometry, the C-O double bonds have stayed in the two terminals and no lone pairs of electrons on the carbon atom of the linear molecule.
The central carbon atom of CO2 has no lone pairs of electrons, resulting in linear CO2 electron geometry. However, the molecular geometry of CO2 looks linear-shaped and has no lone pairs of electrons on the carbon of the CO2 geometry. It’s the CO2 molecule’s slight symmetrical geometry. As a result, the CO2 molecule is nonpolar.
How to find CO2 hybridization and molecular geometry
Calculating lone pairs of electrons on carbon in the CO2 geometry:
1.Determine the number of lone pairs of electrons in the core carbon atom of the CO2 Lewis structure. Because the lone pairs of electrons on the carbon atom are mostly responsible for the CO2 molecule geometry planar, we need to calculate out how many there are on the central carbon atom of the CO2 Lewis structure.
Use the formula below to find the lone pair on the carbon atom of the CO2 molecule.
L.P(C) = V.E(C) – N.A(C-O)/2
Lone pair on the central carbon atom in CO2 = L.P(C)The core central carbon atom’s valence electron in CO2= V.E(C)
Number of C-O bonds = N.A (C-O)
calculation for carbon atom lone pair in CO2 molecule.
For instance of CO2, the central atom, carbon, has four electrons in its outermost valence shell, two C=S double bond connections. This gives a total of four connections.
As a result of this, L.P(C) = (4 –4)/2=0
The lone pair of electrons in the carbon atom of the CO2 molecule is zero.
Calculating lone pair of electrons on the terminal oxygen in the CO2 geometry:
Finding lone pair of electrons for the terminal oxygen atom is not similar to the central carbon atom. We use the following formula as given below
Use the formula below to find the lone pair on the oxygen atom of the CO2 molecule.
L.P(O) = V.E(O) – N.A(C-O)
Lone pair on the terminal oxygen atom in CO2 = L.P(O)Terminal oxygen atom’s valence electron in CO2 = V.E(O)
Number of C-O bonds = N.A ( C-O)
calculation for oxygen atom lone pair in CO2 molecule.
For instance of CO2, their terminal atoms, oxygen, have six electrons in their outermost valence shell, one C-O double bond connection. This gives a total of two C-O double bond connections. But we are considering only one connection for the calculation.
As a result of this, L.P(O) = (6 –2)=4
The lone pair of electrons in the oxygen atom of the CO2 molecule is four. Two oxygen atoms are connected with the central carbon atom.
In the CO2 electron geometry structure, the lone pairs on the central carbon atom are zero, lone pairs of electrons in the oxygen atom have two pairs(4 electrons). Two oxygen atoms have two lone pairs of electrons.
It means there are two lone pairs of electrons in the core carbon atom. No lone pair of electrons on the central carbon atom is responsible for the linear nature of CO2 molecular geometry. But in the structure oxygen atoms are polarised sidewise in their linear geometry.
The two lone pairs of electrons on the terminal oxygen atoms are placed at two ends of the CO2 geometry. Because the carbon atom is a lower electronegative value as compared with other atoms in the CO2 molecule. Two oxygen atoms are polarized towards the sidewise in the CO2 structure.
But in reality, the CO2 has four lone pairs of electrons on the two oxygen ends in its structure. This makes the CO2 more symmetrical in the structure of the molecule. Because there is no electric repulsion between bond pairs and lone pairs.
CO2 is mainly used as an organic solvent in most of the particular types of organic synthetic reactions. It is a nonpolar solvent and has a very similar structure to a CO2 molecule. But CO2 is in the gaseous state at normal temperature and pressure. Liquid CO2 is used as a solvent in some extreme reactions. Dry ice is nothing but the solid form of CO2.
But in the central, carbon atom has no lone pairs of electrons and two C-O bond pairs stay oppose to each other around 180 degrees.
Calculate the number of molecular hybridizations of the CO2 molecule
What is CO2 hybridization? This is a very fundamental question in the field of molecular chemistry. All the molecules are made of atoms. In chemistry, atoms are the fundamental particles. There are four different types of orbitals in chemistry. They are named s, p, d, and f orbitals.
The entire periodic table arrangement is based on these orbital theories. Atoms in the periodic table are classified as follows:
s- block elements
p- block elements
d-block elements
f-block elements
Atoms are classified in the periodic table
CO2 molecule is made of one carbon, two oxygen atoms. The carbon and oxygen atoms have s and p orbitals. But carbon atom has s and p orbitals in the ground state. Carbon comes as the first element in the periodic table of carbon families. The oxygen atom also belongs to the oxygen family group. But it falls as the first element in the periodic table.
When these atoms combine to form the CO2 molecule, its atomic orbitals are mixed and form unique molecular orbitals due to hybridization.
How do you find the CO2 molecule’s hybridization? We must now determine the molecular hybridization number of CO2.
The formula of CO2 molecular hybridization is as follows:
No. Hyb of CO2= N.A(C-O bonds) + L.P(C)
No. Hy of CO2 = the number of hybridizations of CO2
Number of C-O bonds = N.A (C-O bonds)
Lone pair on the central carbon atom = L.P(C)
Calculation for hybridization number for CO2 molecule
In the CO2 molecule, carbon is a core central atom with two oxygen atoms connected to it. It has no lone pairs of electrons on carbon. The number of CO2 hybridizations (No. Hyb of CO2) can then be estimated using the formula below.
No. Hyb of CO2= 2+0=2
The CO2 molecule hybridization is two. The oxygen and carbon atoms have s and p orbitals. The sp hybridization of the CO2 molecule is formed when one s orbital and one p orbitals join together to form the CO2 molecular orbital.
Molecular Geometry Notation for CO2 Molecule :
Determine the form of CO2 molecular geometry using VSEPR theory. The AXN technique is commonly used when the VSEPR theory is used to calculate the shape of the CO2 molecule.
The AXN notation of CO2 molecule is as follows:
The central carbon atom in the CO2 molecule is denoted by the letter A.
The bound pairs (two C-O bonds) of electrons to the core carbon atom are represented by X.
The lone pairs of electrons on the central carbon atom are denoted by the letter N.
Notation for CO2 molecular geometry
We know that carbon is the core atom of CO2, with two electron pairs bound (two C-O) and no lone pairs of electrons. The general molecular geometry formula for CO2 is AX2.
According to the VSEPR theory, if the CO2 molecule has an AX2 generic formula, the molecular geometry and electron geometry will both be linear-shaped forms.
Name of Molecule | carbon dioxide |
Chemical molecular formula | CO2 |
Molecular geometry of CO2 | linear |
Electron geometry of CO2 | linear |
Hybridization of CO2 | sp |
Bond angle (O-C-O) | 180º degree |
Total Valence electron for CO2 | 16 |
The formal charge of CO2 on carbon | 0 |
Summary:
In this post, we discussed the method to construct CO2 molecular geometry, the method to find the lone pairs of electrons in the central carbon atom, CO2 hybridization, and CO2 molecular notation. Need to remember that, if you follow the above-said method, you can construct the CO2 molecular structure very easily.
What is CO2 Molecular geometry?
CO2 Molecular geometry is an electronic structural representation of molecules.
What is the molecular notation for CO2 molecule?
CO2 molecular notation is AX2.
The polarity of the molecules
The polarity of the molecules are listed as follows
- Polarity of BeCl2
- Polarity of SF4
- Polarity of CH2Cl2
- Polarity of NH3
- Polarity of XeF4
- Polarity of BF3
- Polarity of NH4+
- Polarity of CHCl3
- Polarity of BrF3
- Polarity of BrF5
- Polarity of SO3
- Polarity of SCl2
- Polarity of PCl3
- Polarity of H2S
- polarity of CS2
- Polarity of NO2+
- Polarity of HBr
- Polarity of HCl
- Polarity of CH3F
- Polarity of SO2
- Polarity of CH4
Lewis Structure and Molecular Geometry
Lewis structure and molecular geometry of molecules are listed below
- CH4 Lewis structure and CH4 Molecular geometry
- BeI2 Lewis Structure and BeI2 Molecular geometry
- SF4 Lewis Structure and SF4 Molecular geometry
- CH2I2 Lewis Structure and CH2I2 Molecular geometry
- NH3 Lewis Structure and NH3 Molecular geometry
- XeF4 Lewis Structure and XeF4 Molecular geometry
- BF3 Lewis Structure and BF3 Molecular geometry
- NH4+ Lewis Structure and NH4+ Molecular geometry
- CHCl3 Lewis Structure and CHCl3 Molecular geometry
- BrF3 Lewis Structure and BrF3 Molecular geometry
- BrF5 Lewis Structure and BrF5 Molecular geometry
- SO3 Lewis Structure and SO3 Molecular geometry
- SI2 Lewis structure and SI2 Molecular Geometry
- PCl3 Lewis structure and PCl3 Molecular Geometry
- H2S Lewis structure and H2S Molecular Geometry
- NO2+ Lewis structure and NO2+ Molecular Geometry
- HBr Lewis structure and HBr Molecular Geometry
- CS2 Lewis structure and CS2 Molecular Geometry
- CH3F Lewis structure and CH3F Molecular Geometry
- SO2 Lewis structure and SO2 Molecular Geometry
- HCl Lewis structure and HCl Molecular Geometry
- HF Lewis structure and HF Molecular Geometry
- HI Lewis structure and HI Molecular Geometry
- CO2 Lewis structure and CO2 Molecular Geometry
- SF2 Lewis structure and SF2 Molecular Geometry
- SBr2 Lewis structure and SBr2 Molecular Geometry
- SCl2 Lewis structure and SCl2 Molecular Geometry
- PF3 Lewis structure and PF3 Molecular Geometry
- PBr3 Lewis structure and PBr3 Molecular Geometry
- CH3Cl Lewis structure and CH3Cl Molecular Geometry
- CH3Br Lewis structure and CH3Br Molecular Geometry
- CH3I Lewis structure and CH3I Molecular Geometry
- SCl4 Lewis structure and SCl4Molecular Geometry
- SBr4 Lewis structure and SBr4 Molecular Geometry
- CH2F2 Lewis structure and CH2F2 Molecular Geometry
- CH2Br2 Lewis structure and CH2Br2 Molecular Geometry
- XeCl4 Lewis structure and XeCl4 Molecular Geometry
- BCl3 Lewis structure and BCl3 Molecular Geometry
- BBr3 Lewis structure and BBr3 Molecular Geometry
- CHF3 Lewis structure and CHF3 Molecular Geometry
- CHBr3 Lewis structure and CHBr3 Molecular Geometry
- ClF3 Lewis structure and ClF3 Molecular Geometry
- IF3 Lewis structure and IF3 Molecular Geometry
- ICl3 Lewis structure and ICl3 Molecular Geometry
- IBr3 Lewis structure and IBr3 Molecular Geometry
- ClF5 Lewis structure and ClF5 Molecular Geometry
- IF5 Lewis structure and IF5 Molecular Geometry
- PH3 Lewis structure and PH3 Molecular Geometry
- AsH3 Lewis structure and AsH3 Molecular Geometry
- AsCl3 Lewis structure and AsCl3 Molecular Geometry
- AsF3 Lewis structure and AsF3 Molecular Geometry
- NCl3 Lewis structure and NCl3 Molecular Geometry
- NF3 Lewis structure and NF3 Molecular Geometry
- NBr3 Lewis structure and NBr3 Molecular Geometry
- AlCl3 Lewis structure and AlCl3 Molecular Geometry
- AlF3 Lewis structure and AlF3 Molecular Geometry
- AlBr3 Lewis structure and AlBr3 Molecular Geometry
- CCl4 Lewis structure and CCl4 Molecular Geometry