Assuming Lewis structures that strictly obey the octet rule for second-period elements, in which of the following chemical species does the central atom have a formal charge of zero?

Step-by-step solution

The formal charge (FC) is calculated as FC = V - L - S 2 . Let us evaluate the central atom for each species assuming octet-compliant Lewis structures: For O₃ (ozone): The central oxygen is bonded to two other oxygen atoms (one single bond, one double bond) and has 1 lone pair. FC = 6 - 2 - 6 2 = +1 For NO₃⁻ (nitrate ion): The central nitrogen forms 4 bonds (one double bond, two single bonds) and has 0 lone pairs. FC = 5 - 0 - 8 2 = +1 For N₃⁻ (azide ion): The central nitrogen forms 4 bonds (two double bonds) and h