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If an atom loses electron, then it will have a positive oxidation number. If an atom gains electron, then it will have a negative oxidation number.

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Can the oxidation number of an element change?

Yes, the oxidation number of an element can change depending on the chemical reaction it is involved in. The oxidation number reflects the number of electrons that an atom has gained or lost, so as atoms gain or lose electrons during a reaction, their oxidation numbers can change accordingly.


What is a elements oxidation number?

The oxidation number of an element is a measure of the number of electrons that an atom of that element has gained or lost to achieve a stable electron configuration. It is a value that is assigned to an element in a compound to help track the flow of electrons in chemical reactions. Oxidation numbers can be positive, negative, or zero, depending on whether the element has lost, gained, or shared electrons.


What does an oxidation number of -1 mean?

An oxidation number of -1 means that the element has gained one electron, indicating that it is in its reduced state (has undergone reduction). This often occurs when an element gains an electron to achieve a stable electron configuration.


What is an oxidation number in chemistry?

An oxidation number is a positive or negative number assigned to an element in a chemical compound to indicate its degree of oxidation or reduction. It helps in determining how electrons are transferred during a chemical reaction. Oxidation numbers can be used to identify the oxidation state of an element in a compound.


What does and element's oxidation number indicate?

An element's oxidation number indicates the number of electrons that an atom has gained or lost to form a chemical bond. It helps to determine the distribution of electrons in a compound and allows for predicting the behavior of atoms in a chemical reaction.

Related Questions

How does the oxidation number indicate if an electron will be lost or gain by the bond in an atom?

Oxidation number describes gain of electrons. It involves addition of oxygen and removal of hydrogen.


Can the oxidation number of an element change?

Yes, the oxidation number of an element can change depending on the chemical reaction it is involved in. The oxidation number reflects the number of electrons that an atom has gained or lost, so as atoms gain or lose electrons during a reaction, their oxidation numbers can change accordingly.


What is a elements oxidation number?

The oxidation number of an element is a measure of the number of electrons that an atom of that element has gained or lost to achieve a stable electron configuration. It is a value that is assigned to an element in a compound to help track the flow of electrons in chemical reactions. Oxidation numbers can be positive, negative, or zero, depending on whether the element has lost, gained, or shared electrons.


What does an oxidation number of -1 mean?

An oxidation number of -1 means that the element has gained one electron, indicating that it is in its reduced state (has undergone reduction). This often occurs when an element gains an electron to achieve a stable electron configuration.


What is an oxidation number in chemistry?

An oxidation number is a positive or negative number assigned to an element in a chemical compound to indicate its degree of oxidation or reduction. It helps in determining how electrons are transferred during a chemical reaction. Oxidation numbers can be used to identify the oxidation state of an element in a compound.


What does and element's oxidation number indicate?

An element's oxidation number indicates the number of electrons that an atom has gained or lost to form a chemical bond. It helps to determine the distribution of electrons in a compound and allows for predicting the behavior of atoms in a chemical reaction.


What is the oxidation number for 1s22s22p63s22p5?

The oxidation number for an atom is determined by the number of electrons it gains or loses to achieve a stable electron configuration. For the configuration 1s22s22p63s22p5, sulfur (S) has an oxidation number of -2, as it has gained two electrons to achieve a full valence shell of 8 electrons.


What does the oxidation number tell you about an atom?

The oxidation number of an atom indicates the number of electrons it has gained, lost, or shared to reach a stable configuration. It provides information on an atom's electron distribution and helps predict its reactivity in chemical reactions.


What is the oxidation number of an ion?

The oxidation number of an ion is the charge of the ion, which is determined by the number of electrons gained or lost by the atom to achieve a stable electron configuration. Positive ions have oxidation numbers that equal their charge, while negative ions have oxidation numbers that are the negative of their charge.


What are the oxidation number of calcium and chloride?

The oxidation number of calcium is +2, as it tends to lose two electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration. The oxidation number of chloride is -1, as it tends to gain one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration.


What is the oxidation number of chlorine in a formula unit of NaCl?

-1. This the charge on the chloride ion. It has gained an electron


What is the oxidation number of an element with example?

The oxidation number is the charge an atom would have if electrons were transferred completely. For example, in NaCl, sodium has an oxidation number of +1 (it loses an electron) and chlorine has an oxidation number of -1 (it gains an electron).