Question:
Explain why CO32- ion cannot be represented by a single Lewis structure. How can it be best represented?
Solution:
Solution:
Carbonate ion is present in the form of a resonating hybrid structure. These structures are equivalent. Resonance all 3 C-O bonds get a double character in one of the resonating structures.
Thus, all the bonds are equivalent and have equal length hence carbonate ion cannot be represented by a single Lewis structure.