How do you find oxidation numbers of compounds?

1 Answer
Aug 12, 2017

#"Oxidation number is a formalism"............#

Explanation:

By definition, oxidation number is the charge left on the central atom when all the bonding pairs of electrons are conceptually broken, with the charge assigned to the most electronegative atom.....

#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."#