How and why do compounds like NO2 and CO exist when they do not have their electron shells filled?
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CO forms with a tripple bond between the two carbon and oxygen, and a lone pair on each, giving both atoms a full valence shell. NO2, on the other hand, is what’s known as a polyatomic ion, which is different than a traditional molecule. Because it’s an ion, it has a charge (-1), and it can only get this charge from having stolen an electron from another atom/molecule, which is how nitrite can have a full valence shell for all three atoms it is composed of.
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