Question

What is the formal charge on the carbon atom in the COCl2 molecule?

(a) +1
(b) -1
(c) 0
(d) -2

Answer 1

The formal charge on the carbon atom in the COCl2 molecule is 0.

Step-by-step explanation:

The formal charge on the carbon atom in the COCl2 molecule can be calculated by following a few steps. First, we assign lone pairs of electrons to their atoms. Each oxygen atom has 6 electrons assigned to it, and each chlorine atom has 7 electrons assigned to it. The carbon atom, on the other hand, has 4 electrons assigned to it because it forms two bonds with the oxygen atoms and one bond with the chlorine atom. Next, we subtract this number from the number of valence electrons for the neutral carbon atom, which is 4. Therefore, the formal charge on the carbon atom is 0 (c).