What is the hybridization in “CO”_2?

The carbon atom has ##sp## hybridization; the ##”O”## atoms have ##sp^2## hybridization.

You must first draw the Lewis structure for ##”CO”_2##.

According to theory, we can use the steric number ##(“SN”)## to determine the hybridization about an atom.

##”SN”## = number of lone pairs + number of atoms directly attached to the atom.

  • ##”SN = 2″## corresponds to ##sp## hybridization.
  • ##”SN”= 3″## corresponds to ##sp^2## hybridization.

We see that the ##”C”## atom has ##”SN = 2″##. It has no lone pairs, but it is attached to two other atoms. It is ##sp## hybridized.

Each ##”O”## atom has ##”SN = 3″##. It has 2 lone pairs and is attached to 1 ##”C”## atom.

Just as the carbon atom hybridized to form the best bonds, so do the oxygen atoms.

The valence electron configuration of ##”O”## is ##[“He”] 2s^2 2p^4##.

To accommodate the two lone pairs and the bonding pair, it will also form three equivalent ##sp^2## hybrid orbitals.

Two of the ##sp^2## orbitals contain lone pairs, while the remaining ##sp^2## orbital and the unhybridized ##p## orbital have one electron each.

We can see this arrangement in the ##”C=O”## bond of formaldehyde, which is equivalent to the right hand side of the ##”O=C=O”## molecule.

(from www.slideshare.net)

There is a similar arrangement on the left side of the ##”O=C=O”## molecule, but the ##pi## bond is horizontal rather than vertical.

Here is a video on the hybridization of carbon dioxide.

Show more







Calculate Your Essay Price
(550 words)

Approximate price: $22

Calculate the price of your order

550 words
We'll send you the first draft for approval by September 11, 2018 at 10:52 AM
Total price:
$26
The price is based on these factors:
Academic level
Number of pages
Urgency
Basic features
  • Free title page and bibliography
  • Unlimited revisions
  • Plagiarism-free guarantee
  • Money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 support
On-demand options
  • Writer’s samples
  • Part-by-part delivery
  • Overnight delivery
  • Copies of used sources
  • Expert Proofreading
Paper format
  • 275 words per page
  • 12 pt Arial/Times New Roman
  • Double line spacing
  • Any citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard)

Our guarantees

Delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price is not enough anymore.
That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.

Money-back guarantee

You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.

Read more

Zero-plagiarism guarantee

Each paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.

Read more

Free-revision policy

Thanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.

Read more

Privacy policy

Your email is safe, as we store it according to international data protection rules. Your bank details are secure, as we use only reliable payment systems.

Read more

Fair-cooperation guarantee

By sending us your money, you buy the service we provide. Check out our terms and conditions if you prefer business talks to be laid out in official language.

Read more

Order your essay today and save 10% with the coupon code: best10