Question

What is the geometry of the bicarbonate ion, `HCO_3^(-)`?

Answer 1

`"Bicarbonate anion"` is trigonal planar with respect to the central carbon atom....

Explanation:

You gots `HO-C(=O)-O^(-)`. There are three regions of electron density round the central carbon, and VESPER insists that these adopt a trigonal planar geometry to minimize the interaction of lone electron pairs. Each `/_O-C-O=120^@` to a first approx.