The formal charge of CO2 (carbon dioxide) can be calculated using the formula:
Formal Charge = Number of Valence Electrons - Number of Nonbonding Electrons - 1/2(Number of Bonding Electrons)
For CO2:
Carbon has 4 valence electrons
Oxygen has 6 valence electrons (2 oxygen atoms in the molecule)
There are 2 double bonds between carbon and oxygen in CO2, having a total of 4 bonding electrons.
Formal charge of Carbon:
= 4 (valence electrons) - 0 (nonbonding electrons) - 1/2(4) (bonding electrons)
= 4 - 0 - 2
= +2
Formal charge of Oxygen:
= 6 (valence electrons) - 0 (nonbonding electrons) - 1/2(4) (bonding electrons)
= 6 - 0 - 2
= +4
Therefore, the formal charge of Carbon is +2 and the formal charge of each Oxygen atom is +4 in CO2.
What is the formal charge of co2
1 answer