What is the shape (molecule geometry) of carbon dioxide (CO₂)?

The shape of a carbon dioxide (CO2) molecule is linear. Here's a step-by-step explanation:

1. Carbon dioxide has one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. The carbon atom is in the middle, and the two oxygen atoms are on either side.

2. The carbon atom has four valence electrons, and each oxygen atom has six valence electrons.

3. In the CO2 molecule, each oxygen atom forms a double bond with the carbon atom. This means that each oxygen atom shares two of its valence electrons with the carbon atom, and the carbon atom shares two of its valence electrons with each oxygen atom.

4. This results in a molecule where all atoms have a full outer shell of electrons, which is a stable configuration.

5. Because the molecule is symmetrical, with the oxygen atoms evenly spaced on either side of the carbon atom, the shape of the molecule is linear.

The shape of a carbon dioxide (CO2) molecule is linear. Here's a step-by-step explanation:

1. Carbon dioxide has one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. The carbon atom is in the center with the two oxygen atoms on opposite sides.

2. The carbon atom has 4 valence electrons and each oxygen atom has 6 valence electrons.

3. In the CO2 molecule, each oxygen atom forms a double bond with the carbon atom. This means that each oxygen atom shares two electrons with the carbon atom.

4. This results in a total of 4 bonds (2 double bonds) and no lone pairs of electrons on the carbon atom.

5. According to the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory, the shape of a molecule is determined by the repulsion between the electron pairs in the valence shell of the central atom.

6. In the case of CO2, there are no lone pairs on the carbon atom and the 2 double bonds will try to get as far away from each other as possible, resulting in a linear shape.

7. Therefore, the molecule geometry of carbon dioxide (CO2) is linear.