Final answer:
Resonance structures are alternative Lewis structures that represent the delocalization of electrons in a molecule. They are used to describe the distribution of charges and the stability of the molecule. To determine the resonance structures for a molecule, you need to look for atoms with multiple bonding possibilities, such as double bonds or lone pairs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Resonance structures are alternative Lewis structures that represent the delocalization of electrons in a molecule. They are used to describe the distribution of charges and the stability of the molecule. To determine the resonance structures for a molecule, you need to look for atoms with multiple bonding possibilities, such as double bonds or lone pairs.
For example, let's take the molecule sulfur dioxide (SO2). It has a double bond between sulfur and one oxygen atom, and a lone pair on sulfur. The resonance structures can be drawn by moving the double bond to the other oxygen atom, and vice versa. The formal charges on each atom can be calculated using the formula: Formal Charge = Valence Electrons - Nonbonding Electrons - 1/2 * Bonded Electrons.
For the carbonate ion (CO3²⁻), there are two resonance structures. One structure has a double bond between one oxygen and the carbon, and the other structure has a double bond between a different oxygen and the carbon. Again, you can calculate the formal charges on each atom using the formula mentioned earlier.