Lecture on Formal Charge

A formal charge is the difference between the number of valence electrons in an

isolated atom and the number of electrons assigned to that atom in a molecule or ion.
The formal charge of an atom is calculated by subtracting the number of lone pair
electrons and half the number of bonding electrons from the total number of valence
electrons in the atom.

For example, let's consider the molecule CH4, methane. Carbon has four valence
electrons, and it forms four bonds with hydrogen, which has one valence electron each.
Therefore, the formal charge of carbon in CH4 can be calculated as:

Formal charge of C = (number of valence electrons in an isolated C atom) - (number of

lone pair electrons on C) - (number of bonding electrons on C)
Formal charge of C = (4 valence electrons in C) - (0 lone pair electrons on C) - (8
bonding electrons with H)
Formal charge of C = 4 - 0 - 8 = -4

In this case, the formal charge on carbon is -4, which indicates that carbon has gained
four electrons. This can be explained by the fact that carbon is more electronegative
than hydrogen, which means it attracts electrons more strongly. The electrons in the C-
H bonds are therefore pulled towards carbon, leaving it with a negative formal charge.

Formal charges can also be used to determine the most stable resonance structure of a
molecule. Resonance occurs when a molecule can be represented by two or more
Lewis structures that differ only in the placement of electrons. To determine the most
stable resonance structure, we calculate the formal charges of each atom in each
structure and choose the one with the lowest overall formal charge.

In conclusion, formal charges are an important tool for understanding the stability and
reactivity of molecules. By calculating the formal charges of atoms in a molecule or ion,
we can determine the distribution of electrons and predict how the molecule will behave.