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I'm confused about the definition of "charge separation" in the context of resonance structures. One of the rules of stability of resonance structure is "the structure with least separation of formal charge is more stable". Does "separation" in this context mean the distance between two charges or does it refer to the difference in the magnitude of two charges? Or it does it mean something entirely different?

And I have searched this site and others for an explanation but there were no clear explanations on what it was or of what it implies in a resonance structure.

Feraminecarts
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  • or this one https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/87491/charge-separation-and-stability-in-resonating-structures/140022 – Poutnik Dec 04 '21 at 12:15
  • I had already seen the first link before I posted my question which did not really help me understand but after visiting the second link i feel like now I have understood to some extent the meaning of charge separation. Thanks a lot! – Feraminecarts Dec 04 '21 at 17:07
  • The good old googling site:chemistry.stackexchange.com charge separation resonance – Poutnik Dec 04 '21 at 17:21
  • Simple classic electrostatic should help. I would say that if there must be formal charge separation, then the less unstable limiting form is that whit minimal distance between them, ie minimal "formal electrical dipole". So you have to look for what minimise separation, both for a formal physical distance as well as the overall amount of separated formal charges. – Alchimista Dec 04 '21 at 20:24

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