Formal charge (FC) (Chemistry Dictionary)

Formal charge (FC) : The electric charge assigned to an atom in a molecule, assuming that all electrons in all bonds are shared equally between atoms, regardless of each atom’s relative electronegativity. The formal charge of any atom that is part of a molecule can be calculated by the equation F C = V − N − B 2   {\displaystyle FC=V-N-{\frac {B}{2}}\ } , where V {\displaystyle V} is the number of valence electrons of the neutral atom in its ground state; N {\displaystyle N} is the number of valence electrons of the atom which are not participating in bonds in the molecule; and B {\displaystyle B} is the number of electrons shared in bonds with other atoms in the molecule.