What is the formal charge on each atom in CO2?
The formal charge of carbon(C) and oxygen(O) atom in CO2 is zero.
Explanation:
In this post,I am going to discuss the formal charge of each atom in CO2.
To find the formal charge of a atom from CO2 Lewis structure,you need to apply the following formal charge formula or equation:
●Formal charge = Valence electrons in neutral atom - 1/2 (Bonding Electrons) - Nonbonding electrons
Now consider the best Lewis structure of CO2 molecule.Here you need to calculate the formal charge of oxygen atom and carbon atom.
| How to calculate the formal charge of CO2 |
Formal charge of O atom in CO2:
●The number of valence electrons in a neutral oxygen atom is 6 as it is the element of group VIA.
●Nonbonding electrons of O is 4.
●Bonding electrons of O is 4.
●Formal charge of O = Valence electrons in neutral O atom - 1/2 (Bonding Electrons of O) -Nonbonding elctrons of O
=6 - 1/2(4) - 4
=6 -2 -4
=6-6
=0
So,the formal charge of O atom in CO2 best Lewis structure is 0.Since the second O atom is in the same electronic environment,it's formal charge also will be zero.
Formal charge of C atom in CO2:
●The number of valence electrons in a neutral carbon atom is 4 as it is the element of group IVA.
Formal charge of O atom in CO2:
●The number of valence electrons in a neutral oxygen atom is 6 as it is the element of group VIA.
●The number of valence electrons in a neutral carbon atom is 4 as it is the element of group IVA.
●Nonbonding electrons of C is 0.
●Bonding electrons of C is 8.
●Formal charge of C = Valence electrons in neutral C atom - 1/2 (Bonding Electrons of C) - Nonbonding elctrons of C
=4 - 1/2(8) - 0
=4-4
=0
So,the formal charge of C atom in CO2 best Lewis structure is 0.
Now if you add the formal charge of each atom,you will get (0+0+0=0) zero.This means that CO2'overall charge is zero.
Here is the another formula for calculating the formal charge of atoms from a Lewis structure.
Formal Charge=Valence Electrons -Dots - Lines
Formal charge of O atom in CO2:
●The number of valence electrons in a neutral oxygen atom is 6 as it is the element of group VIA.
●Dots electrons of O is 4.
●Lines or bonds of O is 2.
●Formal charge of O = Valence electrons in neutral O atom -Dots - Lines
= 6 - 4 - 2
= 6 -6
=0
So,the formal charge of O atom in CO2 best Lewis structure is 0.Since the second O atom is in the same electronic environment,it's formal charge also will be zero.
Formal charge of C atom in CO2:
●The number of valence electrons in a neutral carbon atom is 4 as it is the element of group IVA.
●The number of valence electrons in a neutral carbon atom is 4 as it is the element of group IVA.
●Dots electrons of C is 0.
●Lines or bonds of C is 4.
●Formal charge of C = Valence electrons in neutral C atom -Dots - Lines
= 4 - 0 - 4
= 4 -4
=0
Comments
Post a Comment