What is the formal charge of the central atom in O3?

1 Answer
anor277
Jun 17, 2016

The central oxygen atom of ozone bears a formal positive charge.

Explanation:

The O3 molecule is bent, and displays formal charge separation.

There are 3×6 valence electrons.

A reasonable Lewis structure would be, −O−+O=O, and going from the left oxygen to right, around each oxygen centre there are 7, 5, and 6 electrons respectively. And thus the central oxygen bears a positive charge, and the left most oxygen bears a negative charge. With this formulation, the ozone molecule is still formally neutral. The terminal oxygens are equivalent by resonance.

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