define oxidation number of an element
Answers
Answer:
Oxidation number, also called oxidation state, the total number of electrons that an atom either gains or loses in order to form a chemical bond with another atom. ...
Answer:
Additional Info
Home
Science
Chemistry
Oxidation number
chemistry
WRITTEN BY
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
See Article History
Alternative Title: oxidation state
Oxidation number, also called oxidation state, the total number of electrons that an atom either gains or loses in order to form a chemical bond with another atom.
00:00
Oxidation number
QUICK FACTS
RELATED TOPICS
Oxidation-reduction reaction
Each atom that participates in an oxidation-reduction reaction is assigned an oxidation number that reflects its ability to acquire, donate, or share electrons. The iron ion Fe3+, for example, has an oxidation number of +3 because it can acquire three electrons to form a chemical bond, while the oxygen ion O2− has an oxidation number of −2 because it can donate two electrons. In an electronically neutral substance, the sum of the oxidation numbers is zero; for example, in hematite (Fe2O3) the oxidation number of the two iron atoms (+6 in total) balances the oxidation number of the three oxygen atoms (−6).
Certain elements assume the same oxidation number in different compounds; fluorine, for example, has the oxidation number −1 in all its compounds. Others, notably the nonmetals and the transition elements, can assume a variety of oxidation numbers; for example, nitrogen can have any oxidation number between −3 (as in ammonia, NH3) and +5 (as in nitric acid, HNO3).
In the nomenclature of inorganic chemistry, the oxidation number of an element that may exist in more than one oxidation state is indicated by a roman numeral in parentheses after the name of the element—e.g., iron(II) chloride (FeCl2) and iron(III) chloride (FeCl3).
Mark me as a brainlist