Oxidation Numbers
- The oxidation numbers (also known as oxidation state) is a number given to each atom or ion in a compound to keep track of how many electrons they have
- In a single ion or molecular ion, the oxidation number tells us how many electrons have been lost or gained
- Positive oxidation number = loss of electrons
- Negative oxidation number = gain of electrons
Oxidation number rules
- The oxidation number (ox.no.) refers to a single atom in a compound
Worked example: Deducing oxidation numbers
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