Oxidation Number Rules

[Charisse Vu 1H]

Do we have to memorize the oxidation number rules?

[lilymayek_1E]

I think it's always nice to remember those "essential" ones, like how free elements always have 0, oxygen is typically 2- in compounds, hydrogen is 1+, or ox number typically equals charge of a monoatomic ion. There's ~5 more I believe, so I think having the idea behind those wouldn't be bad too. Not sure how Lavelle would present those on a test; I'll guess we'll probably have to memorize them like the rules for coordination compounds.

[005162520]

I am pretty sure we need to know them and be able to calculate them.

[Hannah Romeo 1J]

I think that once you do a lot of practice with them you eventually learn how to apply them so there is no need to memorize them.

[Emily Burghart 1k]

Are there any oxidation numbers of specific compounds that would be helpful to know?

[Eunice Nguyen 4I]

I think it'd be best to memorize most of them so that when you're working with the half reactions, it'll be easier to calculate and solve.

[Justin Sarquiz 2F]

You should memorize the oxidation numbers of common polyatomic ions like phosphate and sulfate because these are definitely fair game.

[ALegala_2I]

Here is a chart that can help with oxidation numbers.