Difference between Oxidation Number and Formal Charge

[Michelle Ramirez 3A]

Hi,

This may sound kinda trivial but I honestly don't know the difference between oxidation numbers and formal charges? I would really appreciate an explanation, thank you and Happy Holidays! I do know how to find the oxidation numbers and I know how to calculate formal charge, I just don't know how they are interconnected, if at all.

[Julia_Franks_2B]

One main difference between oxidation number and formal charge, is that formal charge doesn't take in electronegativity (or polarity) while the oxidation numbers do.

[kelsi husted 2i]

Just to add onto this, oxidation numbers are based on a set of guidelines that consider electronegativity and electron distribution, whereas formal charges are a way of assigning charges to individual atoms in a molecule based on the number of valence electrons.
Hope this helps!