What are the formal charges for each atom?

Consider the Lewis structure below. Assign formal charges to each atom. The doubly bonded oxygen atom is designated oxygen "A" and the singly bonded oxygen is designated oxygen "B."
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H -> ?
C -> ?
N -> ?
O(A) -> ?
O(B) -> ?

1 Answer
Apr 19, 2018

Consider this molecule in bond-line notation,

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All of the hydrogens, the nitrogen, and oxygen A have 0 formal charge.

Why? This is because each has a number of electrons that are equal to its electron configuration on the periodic table

However, oxygen B has a negative charge because it has one more negative electron than its electron configuration.