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alexielzhang
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 Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:16 pm Post subject: formal charge |
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how do you calculate formal charge of carbon in a carbonate ion? I thought it would be positive one. Reasoning: carbonate ion has total of negative charge of 2. Carbon is capable of four bonds. Three binds Oxygen. Thus, each oxygen has formal charge of (-1). Addition of all charges give total of (-2). And carbon has (+1) formal charge.
But apparently the answer is zero. How is that?
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emilie.maz5603
Joined: 01 Feb 2010
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 10:04 am Post subject: |
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The Carbonate ion = CO₃²⁻
To calculate the Formal charge of each atom in a formula, you need the following equation:
Formal charge (FC) of each atom = no. of valence electrons – (no. of unshared valence e- + ½ shared valence e-)
So for Carbon, FC = 4 valence e- – [0 unshared e- + ½(8 shared e-) = 4 – [0+4] = 4 – 4 = 0
So, Carbon = 0 that is correct!
Last edited by emilie.maz5603 on Sat Apr 10, 2010 5:03 am; edited 2 times in total |
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