What is the formal charge on carbon in HCN?
A) -2
B) -1
C) 0
D) +1
E) +2

Name: What is the formal charge on carbon in HCN? A) -2 B) -1 C) 0 D) +1 E) +2
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Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The formal charge on carbon in HCN is 0. In HCN, carbon forms four bonds: one with hydrogen and three with nitrogen (a triple bond). The formal charge is calculated as the number of valence electrons in the free atom (4 for carbon) minus the number of bonds (4) and non-bonding electrons (0), resulting in a formal charge of 0.

What Is the Formal Charge on Carbon in HCN