The electronegativity of an atom is a measure of its ability to attract electrons in a chemical bond. In a molecule of carbon dioxide CO2 , there is one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms.The electronegativity value for carbon is approximately 2.55, while the electronegativity value for oxygen is approximately 3.44 according to the Pauling scale . To find the electronegativity difference between carbon and oxygen in CO2, we subtract the electronegativity of carbon from that of oxygen:Electronegativity difference = Electronegativity of oxygen - Electronegativity of carbonElectronegativity difference = 3.44 - 2.55Electronegativity difference 0.89So, the electronegativity difference between a carbon atom and an oxygen atom in a molecule of carbon dioxide is approximately 0.89.