Solutions/Answers to Exercises
Exercise 1. What are the formal charges on the oxygen and chlorine in the following structure?
The Cl atom has a formal charge of 0. The oxygen atom has a formal charge of -1.
Exercise 2. Use formal charges to determine the best Lewis structure for carbon monoxide, CO.
Exercise 3. Draw resonance structures for NOCl. Use formal charges to determine the more important resonance structure.
From the formal charges, Structure A is the most important resonance structure.
Exercise 4. Use formal charges to draw the best Lewis structure for SCN–
Exercise 5. Use formal charges to draw the best Lewis structure for H3PO4
All of the atoms have a formal charge of 0.