In the carbonate ion (), resonance ensures that all bonds are equivalent. What is the fractional bon — Chemical Bonding Chemistry Question
Question
In the carbonate ion ($CO_3^{2-}$), resonance ensures that all $C-O$ bonds are equivalent. What is the fractional bond order of a $C-O$ bond multiplied by 3?
Answer: 4
💡 Solution & Explanation
In the resonance hybrid of the carbonate ion, 4 bonds (one double, two single) are distributed equally over 3 oxygen atoms. The average bond order is calculated as $\frac{\text{Total bonds}}{\text{Resonating structures}} = \frac{4}{3}$. Multiplying this by 3 gives 4.
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