How many Lewis structures does CO₃^2- have? A) 4 B) 3 C) 1 D) 5 E) 2

Question

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CO₃^2- has a total of 28 valence electrons. If we try to draw a Lewis structure with a single bond between C and O, S and P and S and P, and lone pairs remaining on each atom, we end up with 3 structures that fulfill the octet rule for each atom but do not account for the formal charges on each atom. However, if we draw a Lewis structure with a double bond between S and P and single bonds between C and O and S and P, we end up with a single structure that fulfills the octet rule for each atom and accounts for the formal charges on each atom. Thus, the answer is B) 3.

How Many Lewis Structures Does CO32- Have

How Many Lewis Structures Does CO₃^2- Have