What is the Purpose of Finding Formal Charge

[Geonsur]

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Hello. I am in my first general chemistry course, and I am learning about formal charge for the first time. My book says that formal charge of any atom in a molecule is "the charge the atom would have if all the atoms in the molecule had the same electronegativity (that is, if each bonding electron pair in the molecule were shared equally between its two atoms).

Well, I understand that definition fine. The thing I don't get is: What's the purpose of finding formal charge? I don't get why we find it in the first place.

 

[Geonsur]

Nevermind.... I found the answer. If we can draw several Lewis structures for a molecule, the concept of formal charge can help us decide which is the most important, which we shall call the dominant Lewis structure (the Lewis structure that contributes to the actual arrangement of electrons in a molecule the most).