To determine the formal charge on the nitrogen (N) atom in the given Lewis structure, we will follow these steps:
1. Determine the number of valence electrons for the nitrogen atom. Nitrogen is in Group 15 of the periodic table and has 5 valence electrons.
2. Identify the number of non-bonded (lone pair) electrons on the nitrogen atom in the Lewis structure. Let's assume from the given Lewis structure that there are 2 non-bonded electrons on the nitrogen atom.
3. Count the number of bonds the nitrogen atom is involved in. Each bond is considered as a pair of electrons shared between the nitrogen atom and another atom. Let's assume that the nitrogen atom is involved in 3 bonds.
4. Calculate the formal charge using the formula:
[tex]\[ \text{Formal Charge} = \text{Number of Valence Electrons} - (\text{Number of Non-Bonded Electrons} + \text{Number of Bonds}) \][/tex]
- Number of Valence Electrons: 5
- Number of Non-Bonded Electrons: 2
- Number of Bonds: 3
5. Substitute the values into the formula:
[tex]\[ \text{Formal Charge} = 5 - (2 + 3) \][/tex]
[tex]\[ \text{Formal Charge} = 5 - 5 \][/tex]
[tex]\[ \text{Formal Charge} = 0 \][/tex]
So, the formal charge on the nitrogen atom in the given Lewis structure is 0.
The correct answer is:
c. 0
