User: 

do formal charge determine whether something is cation or anion

Assistant:  FormalFormal charge helps determine the distribution of charge within a molecule or ion on individual atoms, but it does **not directly determine whether the entire species is a cation or anion**. 

Here's why:

- **Formal charge** is a bookkeeping tool used to estimate the charge on individual atoms within a molecule or ion by assuming equal sharing of electrons in covalent bonds. It helps identify the most stable Lewis structure and predict the reactivity or site of reactivity in molecules.

- The **overall charge** of a molecule or ion (whether it is a cation, anion, or neutral) depends on the sum of the charges of all atoms (including formal charges and any extra electrons or missing electrons due to ionization).

### Example:
- In the sulfate ion, \(\mathrm{SO_4^{2-}}\):
  - The formal charges on sulfur and oxygen atoms may be assigned based on the Lewis structure.
  - But overall, the ion carries a \(-2\) charge (making it an anion), irrespective of individual formal charges.

- In the ammonium ion, \(\mathrm{NH_4^{+}}\):
  - The nitrogen atom usually carries a formal positive charge.
  - The entire species is a cation with a net +1 charge.

### Summary:
- **Formal charges help understand charge distribution within a molecule/ion.**
- **The net sum of these charges (plus any ionic charge) defines whether the species is a cation, anion, or neutral.**

If you want to know whether a species is an anion or cation, you look at its overall charge rather than just individual formal charges.
User: formal charrge of an individual element? For example, in CH3, i see formal charge of +1 on carbon. That means its cation?
Assistant:  GreatGreat question!

Let's clarify how formal charge on **an individual atom** relates to the overall charge of a molecule or ion.

---

### Formal charge on an atom:

- Formal charge is a hypothetical charge assigned to an individual atom in a molecule based on electron counting.  
- It is calculated as:

\[
\text{Formal charge} = (\text{valence electrons in free atom}) - (\text{non-bonding electrons}) - \frac{1}{2} (\text{bonding electrons})
\]

- It **does not mean that atom is necessarily a free cation or anion**, just that its electron distribution in the molecule makes it electron-rich or electron-poor relative to the neutral atom.

---

### Case of \(\mathrm{CH_3}\):

- \(\mathrm{CH_3}\) (methyl radical) is usually neutral overall.
- If you calculate formal charges in the methyl radical (\(\mathrm{CH_3}\)):

  - Carbon starts with 4 valence electrons.
  - In \(\mathrm{CH_3}\), carbon forms 3 bonds with hydrogen and has one unpaired electron.
  - The radical unpaired electron counts as half an electron in bonding/nonbonding for formal charge calculation.  
  - Usually, the formal charge on carbon in \(\mathrm{CH_3}\) radical is **0** because the carbon has 3 bonds and 1 unpaired electron, balancing the count.

- Sometimes if a specific Lewis structure is drawn showing carbon with 4 bonds and an extra proton around it, carbon might have a **formal charge +1**, but that structure typically represents the methyl cation (\(\mathrm{CH_3}^+\)), **not the neutral methyl radical**.

---

### So:

- If the **entire molecule/ion's net charge is zero**, the species is neutral, even if individual atoms have formal charges (like +1 or -1) that sum to zero overall.
- If the **sum of formal charges on all atoms is +1**, the species is a cation (e.g., \(\mathrm{CH_3}^+\)) — it has an overall positive charge.
- If the **sum is -1**, it's an anion.
  
---

### Summary for your example:

- If carbon has formal charge +1 in \(\mathrm{CH_3}\), it means the **species as a whole is a cation** (\(\mathrm{CH_3}^+\), methyl cation), **not neutral**.
- The formal charge of carbon alone does not tell whether the atom itself is an isolated ion, but reflects its electron deficiency relative to neutral carbon within the overall species.
- You need to look at the **sum of formal charges** on **all atoms** to determine the overall charge (cation/anion/neutral).

---

If you want, I can help by calculating formal charges for \(\mathrm{CH_3}\), \(\mathrm{CH_3}^+\), and \(\mathrm{CH_3}^-\). Would you like that?
User: so if you have CH3 the most likely structure is 3 single bonds and 1 single electron on carbon?
Assistant: