Lewis Structures

[sarahwu3a]

For molecules with only 2 atoms and a single charge, how do you determine which atom gets the charge and which atom has a formal charge of zero?

[Reagan Smith 1H]

You put the negative formal charge on the more electronegative atom.

[Amina Durrani 3G]

The more electronegative atom should have a negative charge if the other atom’s charge is 0, but it should have a 0 charge if the other atom’s charge is positive.

[MBouwman_4A]

Electrons are shifted toward the more electronegative atom, so the more electronegative atom is the one with the negative charge.

[Qilan Li 4I]

You would have to find out the formal charge of both atoms. I usually do this by comparing the number of electrons that are surrounding an atom with the number of electrons the neutral atom normally has. However, the atom with greater electronegativity usually has a negative charge or at least that is how you should draw your lewis structure according to my TA.