Carbon dioxide CO2 is a linear molecule with a central carbon atom double-bonded to two oxygen atoms. The molecular structure can be represented as O=C=O. The carbon atom forms two double bonds with the oxygen atoms, which consist of one sigma bond and one pi bond each. The carbon and oxygen atoms in CO2 have a difference in electronegativity, which results in polar covalent bonds. However, due to the linear and symmetrical structure of the molecule, the individual bond polarities cancel each other out, making the overall molecule nonpolar.The molecular structure and bonding in carbon dioxide contribute to its greenhouse gas properties. Greenhouse gases are able to absorb and emit infrared radiation, which is responsible for the greenhouse effect and, consequently, climate change. The greenhouse effect occurs when greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere absorb and re-emit infrared radiation, trapping heat and causing the planet to warm.In the case of CO2, its molecular structure allows it to absorb and emit infrared radiation due to the presence of vibrational modes within the molecule. When CO2 absorbs infrared radiation, the energy causes the molecule to vibrate, particularly in the bending and asymmetric stretching modes. These vibrations correspond to specific wavelengths of infrared radiation, which are absorbed and re-emitted by the CO2 molecule.As the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere increases, more infrared radiation is absorbed and re-emitted, leading to an enhanced greenhouse effect and a rise in global temperatures. This contributes to climate change, causing a variety of environmental issues such as melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and more frequent extreme weather events.