Write the Lewis dot structure of `CO_(3)^(2-)` ion .

Explanation

Step 1: Total number of valence electrons of `CO_(3)^(2-)=4+3xx6=22`
Step 2 : total number of electrons to be distributed in `CO_(3)^(2-) = 22 + 2`
Step 3 : The skeletal structure of `CO_(3)` is `{:(,O,),(O,C,O):}`
Step 4 : Putting one shared pair of electrons between each C and O and completing the octets of oxygen, we have `{:(,:underset(* *)overset(* *)O:,),( :underset(* *)overset(* *)O,:C:,underset(* *)overset(* *)O: ):}`
In this structure, octet of C is not complete. Hence, multiple bonding is required between C and one of the O-atoms. Drawing a double bond between C and one O-atom serves the purpose:
`[{:(,:underset(* *)overset(* *)O:,),( :underset(* *)overset(* *)O:,:C:,underset(* *)overset(* *)O: ):}]^(2-) or [{:(,:underset(* *)overset(* *)O:,),(," |",),( underset(* *)overset(* *)O" "=," C",-" "underset(* *)overset(* *)O: ):}]^(2-) `