clarification [ENDORSED]

[krish shah]

If the formal charges are not equalling the charge, does that mean that this type of structure would not appear in nature, or that there is a low chance of it happening

[Bryan Cheng 1H]

If the total formal charge of your Lewis structure does not equal the known charge of the ion or zero for a molecule, you have the wrong structure. Formal charges must add up to the proper amount for the species, or the structure is incorrect.

[Jordan Kaplan 2E]

Formal charges should always add up to the individual charges. If its not, double check your structure and the bonds you hav, making sure all e- add up correctly!

[Kimia Rategh 2A]

As others have stated, formal charge should equal the overall charge of the molecule, but if you find that the structure you have drawn doesn't make it so, you can see if you can play around with the bonds to try to get lower formal charges on the individual atoms. You may need to have one atom take on more than an octet and that would be ok if the atom is able to take it (meaning it can fill its d orbital). Hope that helps!