How do you find oxidation number rules?

1 Answer
Jul 2, 2017

That's a good question.....even tho' these rules have been posted on this site by several authors on several occasions.....

Explanation:

But you can conveniently find them here......

#1.# #"The oxidation number of a free element is always 0."#

#2.# #"The oxidation number of a mono-atomic ion is equal"# #"to the charge of the ion."#

#3.# #"For a given bond, X-Y, the bond is split to give "X^+# #"and"# #Y^-#, #"where Y is more electronegative than X."#

#4.# #"The oxidation number of H is +1, but it is -1 in when"# #"combined with less electronegative elements."#

#5.# #"The oxidation number of O in its"# compounds #"is usually -2, but it is -1 in peroxides."#

#6.# #"The oxidation number of a Group 1 element"# #"in a compound is +1."#

#7.# #"The oxidation number of a Group 2 element in a compound is +2."#

#8.# #"The oxidation number of a Group 17 element in a binary compound is -1."#

#9.# #"The sum of the oxidation numbers of all of the atoms"# #"in a neutral compound is 0."#

#10.# #"The sum of the oxidation numbers in a polyatomic ion"# #"is equal to the charge of the ion."#

So what is the oxidation number of #O# in #OF_2#; and the oxidation number of #I# in #I-Cl#?