Question

draw (on paper) lewis structures for the carbonate ion and sulfur difluoride.
how many equivalent lewis structures are necessary to describe the bonding in co₃²⁻?
how many equivalent lewis structures are necessary to describe the bonding in sf₂?
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Explanation:

For $\boldsymbol{\ce{CO_3^{2-}}}$ (Carbonate ion):

Step1: Analyze the carbonate ion structure

The carbonate ion ($\ce{CO_3^{2-}}$) has a central carbon atom bonded to three oxygen atoms. The carbon atom is $sp^2$ hybridized, and the three $\ce{C - O}$ bonds are equivalent due to resonance. The resonance in carbonate ion involves the delocalization of the negative charge over the three oxygen atoms.

Step2: Determine the number of equivalent Lewis structures

To represent the resonance in $\ce{CO_3^{2-}}$, we need three equivalent Lewis structures. In each structure, one of the $\ce{C - O}$ bonds is a double bond, and the other two are single bonds, but the double bond can be on any of the three oxygen atoms, leading to three equivalent resonance (Lewis) structures.

For $\boldsymbol{\ce{SF_2}}$ (Sulfur difluoride):

Step1: Analyze the sulfur difluoride structure

Sulfur difluoride ($\ce{SF_2}$) has a central sulfur atom bonded to two fluorine atoms. The sulfur atom has two lone pairs of electrons (in addition to the two $\ce{S - F}$ bonds). The structure of $\ce{SF_2}$ is a bent molecular geometry (due to the lone pairs), and there is no resonance because the bonding is straightforward (two single bonds between $\ce{S}$ and $\ce{F}$ and two lone pairs on $\ce{S}$).

Step2: Determine the number of equivalent Lewis structures

Since there is no resonance (the electron distribution is fixed with two $\ce{S - F}$ single bonds and two lone pairs on $\ce{S}$), only one Lewis structure is needed to describe the bonding in $\ce{SF_2}$.

Answer:

For $\ce{CO_3^{2-}}$: $\boldsymbol{3}$
For $\ce{SF_2}$: $\boldsymbol{1}$