This episode explains resonance, where a molecule cannot be accurately represented by a single Lewis structure. Resonance occurs when multiple valid Lewis structures can be drawn by moving only electrons, not atoms. The real molecule is a resonance hybrid, a blend of all possible structures. This electron delocalization leads to increased molecular stability and identical bond lengths that are an average of single and double bonds. The episode uses the carbonate ion (CO23-) as a primary example to illustrate the concept.
