## Formal Charge

$FC=V-(L+\frac{S}{2})$

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Donna Nguyen 2L
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Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 12:17 am

### Formal Charge

How do you calculate formal charge? What's the equation and what does everything stand for?

Daniel Toscano 1L
Posts: 95
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 12:18 am

### Re: Formal Charge

There are several equations you can use.
The one Lavelle showed us was: formal charge=valence electrons of atom-(lone pairs electrons +shared electrons/2) or FC=Ve-(L+S/2)
I personally like using: formal charge=valence electrons of atom-(bonds + dots) or FC=Ve-(B+D)

A Raab 1K
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Formal Charge

Formal charge = V - (L - S/2)
V is valence electrons of the element
L is lone pairs the atom has
S is shared/bonding electrons
You want a formal charge of 0 on an atom as that is the most stable.

annikaying
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Formal Charge

formal charge = V - (L + B/2)
V - valence e
L - e in lone pairs
B - e in bonded pairs
This will give you the formal charge of one atom in a molecule. To find the formal charge add of the formal charges of all the individual atoms.

705198479
Posts: 55
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:20 am

### Re: Formal Charge

when is will we know to calculate a formal charge, will it be noticeable in the question or are there key words

KBELTRAMI_1E
Posts: 108
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: Formal Charge

try to calculate the lowest charges overall...

#of electrons in valence shell - [# of electrons in lone pairs + (# bonded electrons/2)]

KBELTRAMI_1E
Posts: 108
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: Formal Charge

705198479 wrote:when is will we know to calculate a formal charge, will it be noticeable in the question or are there key words

do it when drawing lewis structures

Katherine Brenner 3H
Posts: 73
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:18 am

### Re: Formal Charge

It is important to know that you will only be calculating the formal charge of one element at a time. I made this mistake for a while and it confused me :)

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