Given the Lewis structure of the nitrate ion (NO_3^-), what is the formal charge of the nitrogen atom?

• A. +1
• B. -1
• C. 0
• D. +2

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the formula for calculating formal charge: \(\text{Formal Charge} = \text{Valence Electrons} - \text{Nonbonding Electrons} - \frac{1}{2} \times \text{Bonding Electrons}\).
2. Determine the number of valence electrons for nitrogen. Nitrogen is in group 15, so it has 5 valence electrons.
3. Examine the Lewis structure of the nitrate ion (NO\(_3^-\)). Identify how many nonbonding (lone pair) electrons are on the nitrogen atom. Typically, nitrogen in NO\(_3^-\) has no lone pairs.
4. Count the bonding electrons around nitrogen. In NO\(_3^-\), nitrogen is bonded to three oxygen atoms, usually with one double bond and two single bonds, totaling 8 bonding electrons around nitrogen.
5. Apply the formal charge formula: subtract the number of nonbonding electrons and half the bonding electrons from the valence electrons to find the formal charge on nitrogen.