Textbook Question
Calculate the formal charge of the indicated atom in the following molecules or ions.
(e)
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Ch. 2 - General Chemistry Translated: Finding the Electrons
Mullins1st EditionOrganic Chemistry: A Learner Centered ApproachISBN: 9780137566471
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Table of contents
- Ch. 2 - General Chemistry Translated: Finding the Electrons114
- Ch. 3 - Alkanes and Cycloalkanes: Properties and Conformational Analysis109
- Ch. 4 - Acids and Bases: Electron Flow144
- Ch. 5 - Chemical Reaction Analysis: Thermodynamics and Kinetics118
- Ch. 6 - Stereoisomerism: Arrangement of Atoms in Space112
- Ch. 7 - Principles of Green (Organic) Chemistry3
- Ch. 8 - Alkenes I: Properties and Electrophilic Additions158
- Ch. 9 - Alkenes II: Oxidation and Reduction150
- Ch. 10 - Alkynes: Electrophilic Addition and Redox Reactions101
- Ch. 11 - Properties and Synthesis of Alkyl Halides: Radical Reactions108
- Ch. 12 - Substitution and Elimination: Reactions of Haloalkanes172
- Ch. 13 - Alcohols, Ethers and Related Compounds: Substitution and Elimination239
- Ch. 14 - Structural Identification I: Infrared Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry54
- Ch. 15 - Structural Identification II: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy93
- Ch. 16 - Metals in Organic Chemistry48
- Ch. 17 - Carbonyl Addition Reactions: Aldehydes and Ketones45
- Ch. 18 - Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution I: Carboxylic Acids18
- Ch. 19 - Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution II: Carboxylic Acid Derivatives39
- Ch. 20 - Enolates: Carbonyl Addition and Substitution13
- Ch. 21 - Conjugated Systems I: Stability and Addition Reactions56
- Ch. 22 - Conjugated Systems II: Pericyclic Reactions54
- Ch. 23 - Benzene I: Aromatic Stability and Substitution Reactions64
- Ch. 24 - Benzene II: Reactions Influenced by the Aromatic Ring62
- Ch. 25 - Amines: Structure, Reactions, and Synthesis27
- Ch. 26 - Amino Acids, Proteins, and Peptide Synthesis9
- Ch. 27 - Carbohydrates, Nucleic Acids, and Lipids54
Mullins1st EditionOrganic Chemistry: A Learner Centered ApproachISBN: 9780137566471Not the one you use?Change textbook
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Mullins 1st EditionCh. 2 - General Chemistry Translated: Finding the ElectronsProblem 28f
Mullins 1st EditionCh. 2 - General Chemistry Translated: Finding the ElectronsProblem 28fChapter 1, Problem 28f
Calculate the formal charge of the indicated atom in the following molecules or ions.
(f) 
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Recall the formula for calculating formal charge: Formal Charge = (Valence Electrons) - (Non-bonding Electrons) - (1/2 × Bonding Electrons).
Step 2: Identify the atom in question. In this case, the atom is the oxygen circled in blue.
Step 3: Determine the number of valence electrons for oxygen. Oxygen is in Group 16 of the periodic table, so it has 6 valence electrons.
Step 4: Count the non-bonding electrons (lone pairs) on the oxygen atom. From the structure, there are 4 non-bonding electrons (two lone pairs).
Step 5: Count the bonding electrons. The oxygen atom is involved in a single bond with the carbon atom, which contributes 2 bonding electrons. Use the formula to calculate the formal charge.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Formal Charge
Formal charge is a theoretical charge assigned to an atom in a molecule, calculated based on the number of valence electrons, the number of non-bonding electrons, and half the number of bonding electrons. It helps in determining the most stable structure of a molecule by minimizing the formal charges across the atoms.
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Calculating formal and net charge.
Lewis Structures
Lewis structures are diagrams that represent the bonding between atoms in a molecule and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist. They are essential for visualizing the arrangement of electrons and understanding how formal charges are distributed among atoms in a molecule.
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Valence Electrons
Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that are involved in forming bonds with other atoms. Knowing the number of valence electrons for each atom is crucial for calculating formal charges and drawing accurate Lewis structures.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Draw the Lewis structure for the following ions. Be sure to calculate the formal charge of each atom to confirm that your structure is correct.
(c) BH4-
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Textbook Question
Draw the Lewis structure for the following ions. Be sure to calculate the formal charge of each atom to confirm that your structure is correct.
(d) AlCl4-
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Textbook Question
Draw the Lewis structure for the following ions. Be sure to calculate the formal charge of each atom to confirm that your structure is correct.
(b) H+
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Textbook Question
Draw the Lewis structure for the following molecules. Be sure to calculate the formal charge of each atom as a way of confirming your structure is correct.
(c) CF4
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Textbook Question
Calculate the formal charge of the indicated atom in the following molecules or ions.
(d)
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