How to figure out formal charge? [ENDORSED]
Moderators: Chem_Mod, Chem_Admin
-
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:17 pm
-
- Posts: 23858
- Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2011 1:53 pm
- Has upvoted: 1253 times
Re: How to figure out formal charge?
Formal charge in a lewis structure is determined by the formula:
FC = # valence electrons of atom - [lone pair electrons + 1/2*(bonding electrons)]
FC = # valence electrons of atom - [lone pair electrons + 1/2*(bonding electrons)]
-
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:59 pm
Re: How to figure out formal charge?
When figuring out a formal charge do we count the individual electrons that are shared or the pairs of electrons that are shared or lone?
-
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:56 pm
Re: How to figure out formal charge?
For determining formal charge, it is the number of valance electrons minus the amount of lone electrons and the number of electrons in bonds divided by two. Thus the FC = V - ( L + S/2). A easier way of thinking of the problem in terms of the shared electron is to just consider the number of bonds it has rather than number of electrons in bond divided by two.
-
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2016 3:00 am
Re: How to figure out formal charge?
When calculating formal charge it is easiest just to take the number of valence electrons and subtract the number of bonds (same thing as the number of bonded electrons/2) and subtract the number of lone pair electrons. The resulting number is your formal charge. Do this for each of the atoms of your molecule and then add up all the formal charges to give you the total charge of your atom.
-
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:07 am
Re: How to figure out formal charge? [ENDORSED]
Formal charge is found by the formula FC= V - (L+(s/2)) where v is the amount of valence electrons of the atom, L is the amount of lone pair electrons, and s/2 is the amount of bonds shared, which can be figured out by divided the electrons shared by 2.
-
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 3:00 am
- Been upvoted: 1 time
Re: How to figure out formal charge?
Also make sure that you memorize the equation or know the concept behind calculating formal charge, because Dr. Lavelle said that he won't provide the equation on the reference sheet!!
Return to “Formal Charge and Oxidation Numbers”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests