How do you draw the Lewis structure of CH₂O?

Q: How do you draw the Lewis structure of CH₂O?

CH₂O has 12 valence electrons. Carbon is central, bonded to two H’s and one O. Three single bonds use 6 electrons; 6 remain. Place 3 lone pairs on O (6 e⁻). But C only has 6 electrons — needs 8.

Lewis Structure of CH₂O (Formaldehyde)

What is the Lewis structure of CH₂O?

CH₂O has 12 valence electrons, 4 bonding electron pairs, and 2 lone pairs. Formaldehyde has 12 valence electrons. Two C–H single bonds use 4, the C=O double bond uses 4, and 2 lone pairs on oxygen use the remaining 4. All atoms have FC = 0.

Lewis structure of CH₂O (Formaldehyde)

Formula	CH₂O
Name	Formaldehyde
Total Valence Electrons	12
Lone Pairs	2
Has Resonance	No
Concept	Multiple Bonds
Difficulty	Intermediate

Step 1: Count Valence Electrons

C has 4, O has 6, each H has 1: 4 + 6 + 1 + 1 = 12 total.

Step 2: Draw the Skeleton

Carbon is central, bonded to two H’s and one O. Three single bonds use 6 electrons; 6 remain.

Step 3: Distribute Lone Pairs

Place 3 lone pairs on O (6 e⁻). But C only has 6 electrons — needs 8.

Step 4: Form Multiple Bonds

Convert 1 lone pair from O into a bonding pair: C–O → C=O. Carbon now has 8 electrons. Oxygen keeps 2 lone pairs + double bond = 8.

Step 5: Check Formal Charges

C: FC = 4 - 0 - ½(8) = 0
O: FC = 6 - 4 - ½(4) = 0

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