How can I assign oxidation numbers to each of the atoms?
1 Answer
Jun 24, 2014
Without knowing which atoms in particular, here are a few rules:
- Solid metals and diatomic gases always have an oxidation number (ON) of zero.
- Alkali metals (column #1) always have an oxidation number of +1
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Halogens, following a metal, have an ON of -1
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Hydrogen, acting like a metal, will have a charge of +1 and oxygen will have a charge of -2
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Peroxides made with a column 1 metal and oxygen for ex:
#K_2O_2# , or#H_2O_2# , the oxygen will have a -1 charge. There are peroxides with column 2 metals, for example#MgO_2# , the Oxygen will still have a charge of -1. -
Metal hydrides, made with a metal first and a hydrogen last, for example,
#NaH# , the H will have a charge of -1 - Count the polyatomic atoms on the back of the high school periodic table, as what they are to help determine any other atom in a formula.