This is the CO Lewis structure: Carbon monoxide.
We have 4 valence electrons for Carbon and
6 for Oxygen, for a total of 10 valence electrons.
So we have a Carbon and an Oxygen atom bonded
together.
We'll put 2 electrons between the atoms to
form a chemical bond, that's 2; and then around
the outer atoms, that's 4, 6, 8, and 10.
So we've used all our valence electrons.
We can see Oxygen has 8 valence electrons,
so it has an octet.
But the Carbon only has 4 valence electrons.
Let's take these two from Oxygen and share
them with the Carbon.
That forms a double bond.
The Oxygen still has 8, but now the Carbon
has 6.
So we're getting close.
We'll move two more of these valence electrons
to form a triple bond between the Carbon and
the Oxygen.
Now the Oxygen has 8, but the Carbon has 8
as well.
So by now we've used all the valence electrons,
all 10, and each of the atoms in the Lewis
structure for CO has a full outer shell--has
an octet, with 8 valence electrons.
So that's the Lewis structure for CO, carbon
monoxide.
This is Dr. B., and thanks for watching.
