Calculate the formal charge on atoms in carbonate `(CO_(3)^(2-))` .

Explanation

To calculate the formal charge on atoms in the carbonate ion \( \text{CO}_3^{2-} \), we will follow these steps:

### Step 1: Determine the Lewis Structure of Carbonate Ion
The carbonate ion consists of one carbon atom and three oxygen atoms. The carbon atom is centrally located and is double-bonded to one oxygen atom and single-bonded to the other two oxygen atoms. Each of the single-bonded oxygen atoms carries a negative charge to account for the overall \( 2- \) charge of the ion.

### Step 2: Count the Valence Electrons
- Carbon (C) has 4 valence electrons.
- Each Oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons, and since there are three oxygen atoms, they contribute a total of \( 3 \times 6 = 18 \) valence electrons.
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