in new window
In this example, CO2, the Lewis diagram shows carbon
at the center with no lone electron pairs. The carbon and and
both oxygen are bonded through double bonds which counts as "two
electron pairs". Hence the molecule has two electron pairs
and is linear.
Carbon dioxide is the major product of all combustion reactions
involving carbon based materials such as natural gas, gasoline,
and coal. Carbon dioxide is the end product of animal/human metabolism/respiration.
It is also the gas that provides the carbonation in soda and
Carbon dioxide is the major gas implicated in the greenhouse
effect or global warming. The gas in the atmosphere acts to trap
heat that might otherwise escape from the earth to outer space.