How to Draw the Lewis Dot Diagram for Carbon monoxide (CO)

A step-by-step explanation of how to draw the CO Lewis Dot Structure (Carbon monoxide ).

For the CO structure use the periodic table to find the total number of valence electrons for the CO molecule. Once we know how many valence electrons there are in CO we can distribute them around the central atom with the goal of filling the outer shells of each atom.

In the Lewis structure of CO structure there are a total of 10 valence electrons. CO is also called Carbon monoxide.

----- Steps to Write Lewis Structure for compounds like CO -----
1. Find the total valence electrons for the CO molecule.
2. Put the least electronegative atom in the center. Note: Hydrogen (H) always goes outside.
3. Put two electrons between atoms to form a chemical bond.
4. Complete octets on outside atoms.
5. If central atom does not have an octet, move electrons from outer atoms to form double or triple bonds.

----- Lewis Resources -----

Lewis Structures, also called Electron Dot Structures, are important to learn because they help us understand how atoms and electrons are arranged in a molecule, such as Carbon monoxide. This can help us determine the molecular geometry, how the molecule might react with other molecules, and some of the physical properties of the molecule (like boiling point and surface tension).

[kaienrtia]

Between this and the Oxidation Number video (both of which I fully appreciate) you've just idiotproofed how I will teach this to my students. You, sir, deserve all the wonderful praise and adoratin for your concise explanations. Thank you!

[scarlet_sunflower]

Hi! Thank you for this video, it really concisely explained this.

I was just curious about the electron domains. I know there is two (because it is linear, because there are two atoms) but I was a bit stuck on how exactly that is determined. I hope this question makes sense, and thanks for these lovely videos!

[gamingexport-]

What a coincidence this is exactly what I needed

[keshvisomaiya]

Sir
Isn't there is coordinate bond which complete carbon's octet?

[Nazia_]

Carbon has 4 e in its outermost shell, when it shares 3 of it's electron it should have 1 left here it's two and oxygen has valency of 6 when it shares 3 of his electron, 3 are left ideal but here it's 2 .. HELP!!

[physicsxpro]

Sir, covalency of o is 2 so how it forms tripple bond???

[zoealex]

You teach better than my actual science teacher

[Youngballer]

I thought in covalent bonding there is sharing of electrons, it appears here that carbon has 5 valance electrons instead of 4 implying that it has stolen a electron from Oxygen.

[pawankumarsingh]

Sir what about coordinate bond. How can I find that this compound has a coordinate bond?

[codyliao]

So even if the CO double bond has total formal charge of zero, since it doesn’t obey octet, we still draw it as CO triple bind with formal charge of -1 for C and +1 for O?

[TI]

Intuitive enough for one who is practicing them. 👍

[sarahdean]

thank you for the explanation! how come we don't include the formal charges (+ on O and - on C, which you explained very helpfully in another video) in the diagram?

[namanbhatt]

Sir ...carbon can have maximum 4 electrons in its outer shell but here it have 5 please explain!!🙂🙂

[ayanrashid]

Sir as we know that carbon is having 4 valence electrons in the outermost shell. Can u explain how u used 3 electrons
In triple bond and 2 electrons in

[samuelwaller]

why would CO ever form instead of CO2? Unless there is just a single oxygen molecule, I don't understand why it would ever happen

[jocelynzejda]

Is CO an exception to the rule that Carbon must have 4 bonds?

[ardhilhilmy]

Doesn't covalent bond 'share' electrons why does oxygen give electron for the other two bonds is there an explanation for this

[mariyamizha]

question..can C form a dative bond with O too?

[shambhavi]

The second and third pair of electrons are coordinate bond right? Because only Oxygen is contributing the electrons?

[riyabadhe]

Your videos are helping me a lot. Thank you very much 💜
Also I have a major exam coming up day after tomorrow, pls wish me luck 😌 (extremely stressed)