Oxidation Number

[Daniel Yu 1E]

What is an oxidation number and how is it calculated? Is it just the charge of the molecule as an anion?

[Shimei_2F]

The oxidation number of an atom is the charge that an atom would have if the compound was composed of ions. The oxidation number of each atom can be calculated by subtracting the sum of lone pairs and electrons it gains from bonds from the number of valence electrons.

[Anna Chen 1K]

An oxidation number is the charge that atom would have if it was made up of ions.

[Daniel Yu 1E]

So does this mean that the oxidation number is basically the sum of the formal charges of all atoms within a molecule?

[Hussain Chharawalla 1G]

Oxidation number is based on the number of electrons an atom in ground state gains or loses. Depending on an atom's ionization energy and electron affinity, they are either found as cations or anions.

[Hussain Chharawalla 1G]

Yes, the oxidation number of a molecule would be the sum of the formal charges.

[Hannah Pham]

The oxidation number is the number of electrons that an atom gains or loses in order to form a chemical bond with another atom. It shows the total number of electrons that have been removed from an element (positive oxidation state) or added to an element (negative oxidation state) to get to its present state.
The rules are:
-The oxidation number of a free element is always 0.
-The oxidation number of a monatomic ion equals the charge of the ion.
-The oxidation number of H is +1, but it is -1 in when combined with less electronegative elements.
-The oxidation number of O in compounds is usually -2, but it is -1 in peroxides.
-The oxidation number of a Group 1 element in a compound is +1.
-The oxidation number of a Group 2 element in a compound is +2.
-The oxidation number of a Group 17 element in a binary compound is -1.
-The sum of the oxidation numbers of all of the atoms in a neutral compound is 0.
-The sum of the oxidation numbers in a polyatomic ion is equal to the charge of the ion.