A Lewis Diagram Is a Budget, Not a Drawing

Carbon dioxide brings sixteen valence electrons to the table — and not one more. A Lewis structure is not a picture you arrange until it looks tidy; it is a budget you must spend exactly. Every electron the atoms contribute has to land somewhere, and the ledger has to close on zero. Watch the budget debit.

8 STEPS · 6 QUICK CHECKS · CO₂ · BUDGET = 16 e⁻ · v1