Oxidation number

[Hannah_1G]

How does oxidation number of an element relate to how many electrons it will lose or gain? I am confused on how to calculate when in acidic or basic solutions it changes the net charges.

[SnehinRajkumar1L]

Oxidation numbers tell you which species is being reduced or oxidized. You determine the loss of electrons when you balance the half-reactions accordingly.

[Ryan Yee 1J]

Oxidation numbers are based on how many electrons an atom has. Increase in this number from reactants to products means reduction while decrease in the number is oxidation.

[ramiro_romero]

How does oxidation number of an element relate to how many electrons it will lose or gain? I am confused on how to calculate when in acidic or basic solutions it changes the net charges.

When balancing half reactions of a redox reaction, an elements change in oxidation number will tell you whether the element is being oxidized or reduced. If the oxidation number increases as the reaction proceeds forwards, the element is being oxidized and losing electrons (electrons are added on the right side of the half rxn). If the oxidation number decreases, the element is being reduced and gains electrons (electrons are added on the left side of the half rxn). Keep in mind that the change in an elements oxidation number will always be the same number of moles of electrons in its half rxn.

[Daniel Yu 1E]

Finding an oxidation number is essential to balancing Redox reactions. It will tell you whether an element is being reduced or oxidized. You can find the number by finding the typical oxidation state of the most electronegative nonmetal. There are rules for finding the oxidation state of nonmetals.

[Samuel Tzeng 1B]

The oxidation number change in a chemical reaction show what is being reduced and oxidized

[Nohemi Garcia 1L]

It relates to when you balance a redox equation, since they relate to charge. If an oxidation number/charge becomes more negative/smaller, then it means that there is a gain of electrons (Fe +3 ----> Fe +2). If it becomes more positive/larger, then there's a loss of electrons (Cr +3 ----> Cr +6). Remember that a loss of electrons is oxidation and a gain in electrons is reduction.

Calculating the oxidation numbers is not necessarily impacted by it being in an acidic/basic solution; the type of solution is more relevant when it comes to balancing (after you calculate the oxidation numbers and figure out which ions are being oxidized/reduced). For an acidic solution, you balance with H2O and H+. For a basic solution, you balance H2O and OH-.

[Simon Dionson 4I]

Elements with positive oxidation numbers will generally gain electrons whereas elements with negative oxidation numbers will generally lose electrons. This can change depending on if you're dealing with a reduction or oxidation reaction.

[Madelyn Romberg 1H]

Oxidation number related to the charge of the element within its molecule. You compare its charge on each side of the equation. If it becomes more positive, it loses electrons and is therefore oxidized. If it becomes more negative (less positive), it gains electrons and is therefore reduced.

[Nuoya Jiang]

So what is the difference between oxidation number and the charge the atom carries?

[Juliet Stephenson 4E]

So what is the difference between oxidation number and the charge the atom carries?

Charge says something about the relationship between the number of protons and electrons. Charge equals [Proton # - Electron #]. Oxidation numbers are more representations of the total number of electrons that an atom either gains or loses in order to form a chemical bond with another atom.

[ValerieChavarin 4F]

the oxidation number helps identify whether a species is oxidized or reduced. Using the oxidation number, you can determine how many electrons are necessary to balance the charges of a half reaction.

[605395381]

determining the oxidation number determines whether it is oxidizing or reducing. when balancing half reactions, it will show how many electrons will be lost or gained