## Formal Charge

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

Aedra Li 3H
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:17 am

### Formal Charge

Is there a more organized way to write the formal charge? It sometimes gets messy and confusing when I have all these numbers around my Lewis Structure.

Tai Metzger 3K
Posts: 103
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: Formal Charge

You can always write them to the side as long as long as you specify which formal charge goes with each atom.

SVajragiri_1C
Posts: 115
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Formal Charge

You can underline the formal charges or something to distinguish them from the atom and the electron dots.

305421980
Posts: 101
Joined: Sat Sep 07, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Formal Charge

I always do the calculations on the side just to show my work then write the final numbers small in a small box or underlined by the atoms.

simmoneokamoto3K
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2019 7:22 am

### Re: Formal Charge

I tend to do it on a separate piece of paper and by the end of it, I box the entire lewis structure and write the overall formal charge in the upper right corner of said box.

Megan_1F
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Formal Charge

I would recommend writing it small right next to each atom so you can make sure you know which formal charge is assigned to which atom.

Michelle Chan 1J
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Formal Charge

A side question: is there a way to tell just by looking because some people derive it really quickly in their head. Just wondering.

Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:18 am

### Re: Formal Charge

I'm not sure how people do formal charge so quickly in their heads, I always need to write it out personally, but the ones I've memorized are:
double bonded oxygen with 2 lone pairs has a formal charge of 0
single bonded oxygen with 3 long pairs has a formal charge of -1
I hope this helps a little!

Amanda Lin 2I
Posts: 101
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2019 12:15 am

### Re: Formal Charge

Oxygen with two bonds has a formal charge of 0.
Nitrogen with three bonds has a formal charge of 0.
Carbon with four bonds has a formal charge of 0.