Explain why ${\rm{CO}}_3^{2 - }$ ion cannot be represented by a single Lewis structure. How can it be best represented ?

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A single Lewis structure of $\mathrm{CO}_{3}^{2-}$ ion cannot explain all the properties of this ion. It can be represented as a resonance hybrid of the following structures

If, it were represented only by one structure, there should be two types of bonds, i.e., $\mathrm{C}=\mathrm{O}$ double bond and $\mathrm{C}-\mathrm{O}$ single bonds but actually all bonds are found to be identical with same bond length and same bond strength.

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