Read the following statements carefully: Statement I: All C - O bond lengths in the carbonate ion are identical due to resonance. Statement II: The oxygen-oxygen bond length in ozone is strictly equal to a standard O = O double bond. Statement III: Resonance structures represent the actual, physical oscillation of electrons in a molecule. Statement IV: The dipole moment of a resonance hybrid is the arithmetic mean of

Step-by-step solution

Statement I is correct. Resonance in the carbonate ion ( CO ₃²⁻ ) equalises all three C - O bonds, giving them a partial double bond character. Statement II is incorrect. The oxygen-oxygen bond length in ozone ( O ₃ ) is 128 pm, which is intermediate between a standard O - O single bond (148 pm) and an O = O double bond (121 pm). Statement III is incorrect. Resonance structures are purely hypothetical. They do not represent any actual physical oscillation of electrons; only the resonance hybrid has a real existence