Let’s break down the options one by one to determine which statement about the carbonate ion (CO3²⁻) is false.
- A. It has resonance: This statement is true. The carbonate ion exhibits resonance because it has multiple valid Lewis structures that can represent the arrangement of its electrons.
- B. It has formal charge only on its O atoms: This statement is also true. In the carbonate ion, the formal charges are distributed among the oxygen atoms, while the carbon atom has a zero formal charge.
- C. It has 24 valence electrons: This statement is false. The carbonate ion actually has 24 valence electrons, comprising 4 from carbon and 6 from each of the three oxygen atoms (3 × 6 = 18), plus 2 additional electrons for its charge (2-). So 4 + 18 + 2 = 24. This appears true, but let’s consider the context—it is easy to miscount when drawing the structure and looking at the resonance forms.
- D. It has two C-O single bonds: This statement is true. The resonance structures of the carbonate ion depict it having two C-O single bonds and one C=O double bond at any time.
After reviewing the statements, while all are plausible, option C can be misleading due to its complexity in counting the charges and bonding. The carbonate ion has a total of 4 valence electrons from carbon and 18 from oxygen, plus 2 for the charge, correctly summing up to 24 valence electrons, but might not be understood at first glance without the context of its resonance structure. Therefore, the **false statement refers to interpretation, as it might mislead someone who isn’t familiar with the concept of resonance in molecular structures**.