What is the formal charge of carbon in carbon monoxide (CO)when drawn with a triple bond?
A)0
B)-2
C)-1
D)+1

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The formal charge of an atom is calculated as the difference between the number of valence electrons of the neutral atom and the number of electrons assigned to the atom in the Lewis structure. In the case of CO with a triple bond between carbon and oxygen, carbon has four valence electrons (group IV) and is assigned six electrons (two from the triple bond with oxygen and two from the lone pair on oxygen), resulting in a formal charge of -1. Therefore, the correct answer is C.

What Is the Formal Charge of Carbon in Carbon Monoxide