Question

draw the lewis structure of carbonate (co₃²⁻) and then determine the hybridization of the central atom.

Explanation:

Step1: Calculate the number of valence electrons

Carbon has 4 valence electrons, each oxygen has 6 valence electrons, and there are 2 extra electrons due to the - 2 charge. So the total number of valence electrons is \(4 + 3\times6+2=24\).

Step2: Draw the Lewis structure

The carbon atom is the central atom. We form double - bond with one oxygen atom and single - bonds with the other two oxygen atoms. Each single - bonded oxygen has 3 lone pairs, and the double - bonded oxygen has 2 lone pairs.

Step3: Determine the hybridization

The carbon atom has 3 electron - group (2 single bonds and 1 double bond). According to the VSEPR theory, when the number of electron - groups \(n = 3\), the hybridization is \(sp^{2}\).

Answer:

The Lewis structure of \(CO_{3}^{2 - }\) has a central carbon atom double - bonded to one oxygen and single - bonded to two other oxygens (with appropriate lone pairs on oxygen atoms). The hybridization of the central carbon atom is \(sp^{2}\) (Option E).