Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: lost on April 19, 2004, 10:56:04 PM
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my teacher did not no the ansewer to this qustion please help if you can?
why are there extra valence electrons when double bounded with a negitive atom, such as nitrate? when bonded oxygen gets an extra electron making it have seven rather then six.
if you can help that would be great.
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First, each element in nitrate has 8 electrons. There is no weird chemistry involved. Except the formal charge on one of the oxygens is 7. The reason it had the higher formal charge is because: Given an option on which element should have the higher formal charge the more electronegative element will always want to have it.