Which of the following Lewis dot structures is the most likely structure for the neutral compound CO\(_2\)?

• A. O--C=O, with one oxygen atom single-bonded and the other double-bonded to carbon, and the carbon atom having one lone pair
• B. O--C--O, with each oxygen atom having three lone pairs and the carbon atom having two lone pairs
• C. O=C=O, with each oxygen atom having two lone pairs
• D. O=C--O, with one oxygen atom double-bonded and the other single-bonded to carbon, and the single-bonded oxygen having three lone pairs

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons available for the CO\(_2\) molecule. Carbon has 4 valence electrons, and each oxygen has 6 valence electrons, so total valence electrons = 4 + 2 \times 6 = 16.
2. Step 2: Draw a skeletal structure with carbon as the central atom bonded to two oxygen atoms. Connect each oxygen to carbon with a single bond initially, using 4 electrons (2 bonds \times 2 electrons each).
3. Step 3: Distribute the remaining electrons to satisfy the octet rule for the outer atoms (oxygen atoms first). Add lone pairs to oxygen atoms until each has 8 electrons total (including bonding electrons).
4. Step 4: Check the central atom (carbon) for an octet. If carbon does not have 8 electrons, form double bonds by converting lone pairs from oxygen atoms into bonding pairs between carbon and oxygen until carbon has a full octet.
5. Step 5: Verify the formal charges on each atom to ensure the most stable Lewis structure. The structure with the smallest formal charges (ideally zero) on all atoms and full octets is the most likely Lewis structure for CO\(_2\).