In carbon dioxide (CO2), the carbon atom is the central atom, which allows it to form double bonds with the two oxygen atoms.

1. Carbon has 6 electrons, 2 in the 1s orbital, 2 in the 2s orbital, and 2 in the 2p orbital.

2. In its ground state, carbon's electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p².

3. However, in order to form bonds with oxygen, carbon must have 4 unpaired electrons. This is achieved through a process called hybridization.

4. In hybridization, one of the 2s electrons is excited to the empty 2p orbital, resulting in four unpaired electrons. This results in an electron configuration of 1s² 2s¹ 2p³.

5. These four unpaired electrons hybridize to form four sp² hybrid orbitals.

6. In CO2, carbon forms double bonds with the two oxygen atoms. Each double bond consists of one sigma bond (formed by end-to-end overlap of sp² orbitals) and one pi bond (formed by side-to-side overlap of p orbitals).

7. Therefore, the atomic orbitals of carbon in carbon dioxide are sp² hybrid orbitals.

Question

In carbon dioxide (CO2), the carbon atom is the central atom, which allows it to form double bonds with the two oxygen atoms.

1. Carbon has 6 electrons, 2 in the 1s orbital, 2 in the 2s orbital, and 2 in the 2p orbital.

2. In its ground state, carbon's electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p².

3. However, in order to form bonds with oxygen, carbon must have 4 unpaired electrons. This is achieved through a process called hybridization.

4. In hybridization, one of the 2s electrons is excited to the empty 2p orbital, resulting in four unpaired electrons. This results in an electron configuration of 1s² 2s¹ 2p³.

5. These four unpaired electrons hybridize to form four sp² hybrid orbitals.

6. In CO2, carbon forms double bonds with the two oxygen atoms. Each double bond consists of one sigma bond (formed by end-to-end overlap of sp² orbitals) and one pi bond (formed by side-to-side overlap of p orbitals).

7. Therefore, the atomic orbitals of carbon in carbon dioxide are sp² hybrid orbitals.

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