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Chemical Bonding And Molecular Structure

Question
CBSEENCH11005688

What do you understand by formal charge (F.C.) on atom in a molecule/ion?

Solution

The formal charge of an atom in a polyatomic molecule or ion may be defined as the difference between the number of valence electrons of that atom in an isolated or free state and the number of electrons assigned to that atom in the Lewis structure.

It is expressed as:

[Formal charge (F.C.) on an atom in a molecule/ion]
               = [Total number of valence electrons in the free atom] - [Total number of non-bonding (lonepair) electrons]
 - 1 half open square brackets Total space number space of space bonding space left parenthesis shared right parenthesis space electrons close square brackets