Determining Formal Charge [ENDORSED]
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Determining Formal Charge
When determining the best structure of a molecule why does the formal charge have to be 0?
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Re: Determining Formal Charge [ENDORSED]
There's also an easier way to determine formal charge than to use the formula. You just see how many valence electrons that atom normally has, and compare it to how many electrons it has in the structure (a bond counts as one electron, a lone pair counts as two). If it has more electrons than it normally has, the formal charge is however many more electrons it has, and is negative. If it has fewer electrons than it normally has, the formal charge is however many less electrons it has, and is positive.
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