If silicon has a charge of +4 and oxygen has a charge of -2, what is the total charge on this structure?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The charge on silicon (+4) is balanced by the charge on two oxygen atoms (-2 x 2 = -4). Therefore, the total charge on this structure would be -4 + 4 = 0. However, the question is asking for the total charge, not the net charge (which is zero). Therefore, we need to take the absolute value of the net charge to get the total charge, which is 4- (D).

If Silicon Has a Charge of +4 and Oxygen Has