What is the lewis structure for bicarbonate?

1 Answer
anor277
May 21, 2016

#H-O-C(=O)O^-#

Explanation:

There are #1+4+3xx6# valence electrons to distribute #+1# electrons for the negative charge; thus #24# electrons or #12# electron pairs.

Bonding electrons account for #10# electrons; the remaining #14# electrons are distributed around the oxygen centres, i.e. #7# lone pairs. The formally negative oxygen atom has #3# lone pairs. Of course, this negative charge can be delocalized over the the formally, doubly bound oxygen.

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