Formal charge

[Andrea_1H]

What if we can’t get all the atoms to have a formal charge of 0? Is there a “second best” option?

[Sidharth D 1E]

The next best option is to have the most elements with a formal charge of 0, with negative formal charges with the most electronegative elements of the molecule and positive formal charges with the most electropositive elements of the molecule.

[Maya Serota 3G]

You just want to get as close to 0 as possible.

[Eesha Sohail 1D]

If they can't all be zero, then the next course of action is to find the configuration that allows for the lowest possible charge, whatever that might be.

[Sanjana K - 2F]

If you can't narrow it down, you might want the negative formal charge to be on the more electronegative atom. For example, you can refer to #12 on the Dino Nuggets Midterm, where we ultimately chose our structure to be N --- N - O instead of N -- N -- O because we'd rather have the -1 charge on the oxygen atom than the -1 charge on the nitrogen atom (since oxygen is more electronegative than nitrogen) so it'll tend to attract the electrons more.

[SVajragiri_1C]

Just make sure the formal charges are as close to 0 as possible.

[quresh3E]

The added formal charges of the atoms should be zero. With whatever negative formal charges being on the most electronegative atom.

[jmtz1I]

The best thing is to have a formal charge of 0, but if not my TA stated to find the lowest possible charge.

[Abigail_Hagen2G]

More electronegative atoms can have a negative formal charge if you need to give them one.

[Nathan Rothschild_2D]

Get as many as you can to 0, and ensure that the center has a formal charge of 0.

[mayarivers3I]

It's fine to not have a formal charge of zero. The structure with the lowest energy would be the one where the formal charge is on the most electronegative element.

[PriscillaLi_3G]

Second best option is to get the formal charges of each atom as close to zero as possible. Give the negative formal charges to the atoms with higher electronegativity.

[Sanjana Borle 2K]

The second best option is to make sure that the more electronegative atom has a negative charge, and vice versa. this is considered the correct lewis structure.

[005162902]

If you can't get all the formal charges to zero, get as many as you can close to zero so that the Formal Charge of the molecule is as low as possible.That will be your most correct answer. It also helps to keep the charge off of the central atom. If the charge is on the outer molecules its easier for electrons to delocalize and show resonance.

[Sofia Q]

If all of them can't be 0, then you want them to be the smallest they can be, agreeing with any charge the compound hay have. A tip would be to keep the central 0 is possible, however.

[EMurphy_2L]

also, if the molecule has a charge (like CNO-) then the sum of all three charges should be that number

[Tiffany Dong_4e]

Getting close to 0 is ideal, but the "next best" option would be giving a more electronegative atom like oxygen a negative charge.